Little Moments
by CheveronChick
Summary: This started as a 30-day challenge to post something 1000 words or less every day from a one-word prompt. I extended the challenge to 40 days, and now that I'm in school I find this too much fun to stop completely, and so I will be trying to update every weekend or every other weekend at the very least. Most of them are Legolas - Thranduil centered!
1. Sometimes

**Hey thanks for coming!**

 **So yeah, 30 short little moments for 30 days from one-word prompt 's (probably not in a row so sorry)**

 **Probably a good portion of them I'm going to try and make Legolas (and Thranduil probably) centered**

 **Hope you like it!**

 **...**

It was a cold and rainy afternoon when Galion entered the meeting room, a tiny prince wrapped tightly in his arms, tiny arms around his neck and face pressed into his shoulder. Thranduil called for a break immediately.

As swiftly as proper manners would allow in such a setting he crossed the room to his attendant and seemingly melancholy son. Upon seeing him Legolas detached from Galion's throat and reached for him, face void of its usual bright smile.

"He found me near your study, apparently he had gone there to find you," Galion said, passing Legolas from one set of warm and loving arms into another.

Thranduil pulled him against his chest, small head just below his chin, "Come here, little leaf."

Galion held the door open for all three of them to slip outside into the hallway, where there was less of an audience. He waited a few moments, very gently rocking the small elfling before asking very softly, "What's wrong, my sunshine?"

Legolas shrugged, so Thranduil readjusted him so that they could look one another in the eyes. Sometimes his son did come and find him just because he missed him, or had something he wanted to tell him. But this was not one of those times.

His eyes were sad, and he was soft and unmoving like he was only moments before sleep. Thranduil ran a hand through his son's hair before pressing it against his cheek, "No something is bothering you. You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

Legolas pressed his lips into a line and nodded just slightly, glancing down he began idly braiding his father's long blond hair, "Sometimes I get sad."

For just a moment it was as if the air had been sucked from his lungs, and he swallowed past an impossible lump in his throat, "Sad about Nana?"

The elfling nodded, so softly it was hard to notice. Thranduil hadn't noticed the tears until Legolas wiped his cheek for him, "I still get sad about her sometimes too."

"She used to read me stories when it rained. Can you tell me stories about Nana?"

…

"Tell me about when you met."

Thranduil looked down at where his son had sprawled across the carpet in front of the fire, "Again?"

It was hard to see him very often now since he had moved to Ithilien, but sometimes he still got to.

Legolas glowered up at him half-heartedly, "Yes again."

There was a flash of lightning and Legolas counted out loud for the both of them until the lightning flashed, and then Thranduil began the story of how he met his wife all those years ago. For what seemed like the thousandth time

 **...**

 **Hope you like it and are as excited about this as I am**

 **Please leave a review!**


	2. Believe

"I didn't mean for this to happen Ada, I swear! It was an accident you have to believe me."

"Oh I believe you, but at a certain point Legolas it doesn't matter what you 'meant' to do." Thranduil snapped, attempting to give his son a stern expression but struggling the moment his son winced in pain.

"I didn't think it would end like this."

"Well I certainly hope so."

The healer attending to the prince tried not to smile as he finished wrapping the broken arm. There was a somewhat tense moment of silence before Legolas said one of the boldest sentences the healer had ever heard anyone say to the king: "So I suppose this means I'm not going to Imladris for the summer solstice?"

"With a broken arm and three broken ribs? Really?"

Legolas winced at his father's tone, groaning in pain when it jostled his ribs, "I mean, Lord Elrond is one of the greatest healers on Arda. If they are going to be broken _anyways -_ "

"No, I don't want to hear the rest of that sentence."

"But Ada-"

Thranduil was already halfway out of the room, "Believe me, little leaf, under no circumstances are you going to Imladris this summer."

"But Ada-" Legolas tried again, calling after his father's retreating back.

"Still don't want to hear it!"

… **.**

 **Would love to hear from you!**


	3. Gratitude

"May I see it now? Please, please, please Ada may I see it?"

Legolas nearly ran around his father in circles while the king held the box above his head to keep it out of his reach, "Only if you sit still for a moment."

In a moment the elfling flung himself onto the couch and scrambled into his favourite corner to sit cross legged and sit somewhat still. "Okay, can I see it _now?_ "

Thranduil pulled a chair from where it usually sat in front of the fire and brought it to sit in front of his son, "One might think you were born without a single 'patient' bone in your body."

"I wasn't. Can I see it now?"

Thranduil set the box in his lap for a moment and folded his hands overtop, "Eyes please."

Legolas raised his eyes to meet his father's, which was apparently the only way to tell if he was paying attention sometimes, "Listening."

"Good. Now, this may be yours but you are not allowed to use it unless Galion, Ferdan or I is with you. Is that understood?"

"Yes."

"And if I _ever_ find out you took one from the armory again-"

"You won't." Legolas interrupted, glancing down at his hands shamefully, "I won't. I promise."

Thranduil waited until Legolas looked back up at him to ensure the elfling knew how serious he was, "Good."

Then the king swiftly pulled the top off of the box, revealing a very elfling sized bow that he had made himself on the somewhat lonely evenings when Legolas was down in the kitchen scrubbing every single pot and pan for his transgressions.

Legolas gasped and scrambled back off of he couch, nearly tripping over himself in the process, fingers freezing right before touching the polished wood, "You can touch it little leaf, it's yours."

But instead of picking up the bow, he threw his arms around his father's neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you Ada, its beautiful."

Releasing Thranduil's neck his feet hit the ground softly once more and nearly ripped his new bow out of the box, "Can I go try it out now?"

…

 **I keep getting requests to make them all Thranduil - Legolas centered so I'll try my best for you lovely people.**

 **Would love to hear from you!**


	4. Drunk

Usually Thranduil considered himself rather adept at keeping track of his son, even though he seemed incapable of staying in one place for any amount of time. Even in his younger years, Thranduil could never recall having as much ceaseless energy like Legolas did. He had been like that even before his birth, spending all of his time kicking his legs into his mother's ribcage and stomach. More nights than not Thranduil had spent staying awake with his wife while they waited for their tiny unborn prince to stop his assault from the inside.

Once he had learned to walk it was game over. Thranduil had to learn the tricks of tracking him down or risk never finding the wandering soul again.

Admittedly, he had gotten somewhat better since he started his warriors training. But that was only because all his energy was finally getting spent in different ways, rather than having less of it.

But that did not mean he was perfect at keeping an eye on him, even after so many years, "Galion, do you see my son?"

His longtime attendant looked about the clearing, being the only other blonde elf in all of Greenwood usually made the prince somewhat easy to spot in the sea of dark haired silvan elves, "It would seem he has vanished into the night, sir."

"So it would seem."

Thranduil considered his options while Galion returned the spirited conversation nearby, already well into the wine that had been brought out for the summer solstice. From what he could see all Legolas' dear friends were still present, so he hadn't wandered off for some ridiculous purpose that was likely to injure at least one of them. He had not come to say goodnight, so it seemed unlikely that he had gone to bed. He could wait a while and see if he returned, or he could try and track him down.

But that meant checking any number of his favorite spots.

He hummed in thought, attracting Galion's attention again, "Would you like me to send some servants to look for him?"

Thranduil waved him away, "No, its fine. Let them enjoy the night, I will investigate myself."

Galion shrugged, expecting that exact answer, "As you will."

Thranduil got to his feet with a mighty stretch, and set off into the crowd to begin the search. First he turned towards that largest cluster of exuberant and intoxicated young elves on the far side of the clearing finding exactly who he had had been looking for: Ferdan, Legolas' best friend since before he could talk.

Noticing his kings approach, Ferdan excused himself and broke away from the group and came to stand before Thranduil, "I don't know where he went."

"Do you know _why_ he left?"

Legolas loved summer solstice, he had always looked forward to it every year and it was troubling that he had departed so early. As a elfling he would beg every year for his father to not take him inside to be put to bed, even if he had fallen asleep in his lap hours before.

"No, he was here one moment and gone the next."

Thranduil hummed in thought again, and glanced at another one of Legolas' best friends Avaleina who at the moment was dangling from a tree, suspicoulsy lacking her usual blond companion, "She doesn't know either." Ferdan answered before he could even ask the question, "I've already asked."

"How did he seem today?"

Ferdan shrugged, "Fine a guess. A bit quite I suppose, but other than that fine."

Interesting.

Bidding him a pleasant evening, Thranduil swept away from the conversation and back towards the stronghold, the music growing softer behind him. He was about to start his search when he heard the laughter of the tree's coming from one of the smaller gardens.

It was not a garden that Legolas usually spent time in, preferring the Queens garden that he had grown up playing in. Thranduil would never complain, for he could see and hear whatever happened in that particular garden through his study window, and listening to the sounds of his son's and his friends laughter and joy could make any bad day better.

Sometimes he thought that's why Legolas always used that garden. It seemed every truly bad day he had Legolas would sing his favorite songs in the garden for hours, however long it took his father's work day to be done.

To this day, he didn't know what he did to be blessed with a son as great, loyal, and caring as Legolas.

Thranduil turned into the garden, easily spotting exactly why the tree's had been laughing.

There his beautiful mess of an heir laid, seemingly passed out under a bush. Drunk as could be.

Thranduil couldn't help himself but burst out in a delighted laugh, the likes of which would have echoed for a great distance had he been inside. At least he had come to pass out in a more or less private location, rather than in the middle of the celebration.

He came to stand above his son, "Rise and shine, my sunshine!."

Legolas did no so much as twitch.

"Legolas." He tried again, but louder.

Still nothing.

"Legolas!"

With a wicked grin he scooped some water from a nearby fountain and dropped the freezing liquid onto his face, which woke him in a matter of moments with a loud sputtering sound.

"Ahh yes, welcome back to the world of the living and the reasonably sober."

Legolas squented up at him and even though he was still sitting in the dirt Thranduil was fairly certain he was still swaying, this was the first time he had ever seen his son this drunk. He knew it happened, of course, elflings will be elflings and all the missing wine had to have gone somewhere.

It was a bit delightful.

"I want..at least six pies and a sandwich. And my bed. I want to eat six pies and a sandwich _in_ my bed." Legolas' words were quite slurred yet, but were walking a very dangerous line.

Thranduil tried to suppress his laughter, "I'm not sure about six pies, but I'm certain we can find you a reasonably large piece of cherry pie and a sandwich."

"Can I eat the rest of the pies tomorrow?"

"I doubt you will be up to eating much of anything tomorrow, but you are more than welcome to try."

Legolas seemed satisfied with this answer and nodded a little bit before becoming distracted by a lizard moving in one of the bushes he had collapsed near, '"Ada?"

"Yes, my son?"

"I think I might need some help getting inside."

"I think so too."

… **..**

 **(This is technically too long but only by like 100 words shhhhhhh)**

 **Thank you all for your wonderful words and review!**

 **I would love nothing more than to keep hearing from you**


	5. Blanket

Bard watched as the Elvenking climbed up the long flights of stairs and as far away from all the death that one could get in these circumstances, it was probably proper to stand but Tilda was sleeping in his lap and he had no intentions of waking her.

To his surprise, the great Elvenking sat on the ground and swung his legs over the edge of the rooftop. Once he settled himself he passed Bard a thick blanket and gestured to Tilda, "I thought she might be cold."

Gratefully he wrapped it around his daughter, "Thank you."

The elf inclined his head and turned back towards the happenings below them. Bard had seen the king fighting a few times during the battle, and frankly had no intention of ever seeing it again. Had they not been on the same side, it was a good possibility he would run away screaming.

But he looked nothing like that now, he had cleaned off and changed into fresh clothes. Much plainer than Bard would expect, "Do you have any children, King Thranduil?"

The king smiled a little to himself, "Yes, I have a son."

"What's his name?"

"Legolas."

"What does it mean?"

The king gave him a sideways glance that Bard wasn't sure was a good thing or not, "Its means 'Greenleaf."

He wasn't sure if he should ask a question such as this but he did it anyways, "Is he here?"

He was still for a very long moment and the human was a little worried he had overstepped his bounds. It was hard to tell with elves. But then he lifted his arm to point to an elf in the camp below them.

Bard had seen him during the battle too and had been absolutely stunned to witness him use a bow, but like his father, he looked nothing like that now. Like the king, he no longer wore his dirty clothes yet there was something that looked suspiciously like blood in his hair, his face had been cleaned and somehow he was smiling with laughter.

He stood in the center of the square, directing those who needed it and answering all questions to the best of his abilities. In fact, Bard had been watching him direct the warriors left standing for most of this long night.

Now as the sun began to rise and there were fewer orders to give and things to do, he and some of his friends had begun playing a game with the children to give their parents time to rest.

"Greenleaf. It suits him."

The king smiled again, "Yes. It does."

And then he stood up and walked back down the steps.

…

It was past midday when Bard appeared at the king's tent to return the blanket, "King Thranduil?" The tent door was pulled open and so he stuck his head inside just in time to see the king's son startle awake from a cot that clearly recently been dragged in.

The king stood from where he was sitting behind a desk, on his way to the tent door he rested his hand gently on his son's head and said something in elvish Bard didn't understand. With a tired smile, the prince nestled back into the covers piled on the cot and murdered something back. After adjusting the blankets to his satisfaction, the king stepped outside the tent to speak with Bard.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to wake him."

He waved away the apology," He has already fallen back to sleep, unfortunately, it's been a very long few weeks."

"I can only imagine." In all honesty, the last thing Bard wanted to do at that moment was to try and imagine what happened in the depths of those dark woods. He had seen the way the elves fought.

Bard cleared his throat in an effort to dislodge the troubling thoughts, "I came to return the blanket, one of your warriors said you would be returning to your home soon."

To his surprise, the king laughed, "I appreciate that, but it will do you and your family far more good than any of my people. Besides, more supplies for you and the other people of Laketown are already on their way. Including more blankets."

"We're the people of Dale now."

"Yes, I suppose you are."

"Thank you, King Thranduil. For the blanket but mostly for everything else."

"Thank you for not letting a dragon burn down my forest. Healers will be back in a week to check any minor injuries healing here."

And then he turned around and went back into the tent.

… **..**

 _This totally goes against two of my others stories about what happened after the battle_

 _¯\\_(_ _ツ_ _)_/¯_

 **Thanks for the support guys, would love to hear from you!**


	6. Hide

It had become very apparent to him once he got older that his mother's death had not been an accident. The Orcs did not just happen to attack them the day he and his mother had gone into the forest to play, they had been sent to find them. That was the thing fighting against Sauron, unlike Orcs he planned, calculated and schemed. He watched, learned, and applied it. He knew the best ways to try and take down the kingdom of Greenwood the Great, and the best way to start was to get rid of the king. Many attempts had been made to have him killed to no avail, and so he had gone a less direct route. Slaughter those the king loved and watch him fade to grief.

His mother must have realized this because after half an hour of running through the forest with him held strongly in his arms, she had buried him at the base of a tree, begging it to hide him among the root and conceal him.

She told him that he was not to move or make a sound, no matter what, until Ada came for him.

She kissed his head, told him how much she loved him and left into the forest without him.

The tree was scared, he could tell but he did not understand why. It tried to comfort him nonetheless, but it did not work. He wanted his Nana. But he stayed where he was just as she had told him to do.

Eventually, the evil creatures had come sniffing towards him, faceless shadows of the forest that wreaked of unpleasant things. The tree clutched him tighter and lowered a few more branches to conceal him fully in the undergrowth.

He knew these creatures could not find him, and so he did just as his Nana had told him, and he did not move or make a sound.

Slowly, more dark creatures began swirling about him. Oblivious to the tiny creature at their feet. He would learn later that this was the beginning of the invasion, the one that sent his people fleeing from their city and into the mountain.

They threw their fires behind them when they left, igniting the forest. Then even the tree's could not help him, all they could do was push him away and tell him to run. To this day he could remember how the coals he stepped on had burnt his bare feet, and the smoke choked his lungs.

Blindly he stumped his way through the forest as it burned around him, at first he had tried calling for his father but quickly gave up as the smoke scorched his throat and stole his voice.

Eventually, the tree's directed him into a cave to shield him from the flames, sacrificing themselves and willfully falling over the doorway to keep anything sinister from joining him.

All night he sat at the back of the cave, knees drawn to his chest, hands covering his ears to try and drown out the sounds from outside.

….

He was numb as he stared down at the charred body of his beloved wife, recognizable only by the necklace she always wore. The necklace he had made for her at the very beginning of their relationship. It was far from perfect, smithing had never been his specialty, but she had adored it nonetheless.

They hadn't found his son. They his hadn't even found his tiny body.

Every breath he took felt like he was inhaling shards of glass, and his blood burned inside of his veins.

He wasn't aware of how long he had been standing there, looking down that the elleth who had stolen his heart so completely he wasn't sure how it still beat without her when Galion came bursting into the room, "Thranduil! The tree's call for you. They have Legolas."

He tried not to hope. Tried to remind himself that just because the tree's 'had' his son did not mean he was still alive. He tried not to hope. But he did anyway.

With every step he took, every beat of his heart, he hoped a bit more. Hoped. Prayed. Begged.

The tree's directed him to a cave which entrance had been covered by charred remnants of what had once been a massive Oak tree. How was it possible that his tiny son would be safe and sound inside?

He got as close as he could to the entrance and called as loudly as his own charred throat would allow, choking on his own tears, "Legolas?"

"Ada?" The voice was small, pitiful and desperate.

That was all the encouragement Thranduil needed and somehow he managed to squeeze himself between the branches of the fallen tree, contorting himself until he nearly fell through the last few branches and into the cave.

Even after so much determination to keep beating his heat stopped.

Legolas was pressed to the back of the cave, the bottoms of his feet completely burned and bloody, his clothes sporting holes that had been burned into them and his skin underneath, lips dry and split his voice weak and raspy. "Ada!"

The elfling attempted to move towards his father but fell to the ground with a cry of pain the very second his feet touched the cave floor, but it did not matter, he was in his father's arms in hardly a second anyways.

… **..**

 **Thank you all again for the wonderful support, I cannot thank you enough.**

 **It warms my heart like a bonfire.**

 **I would love nothing more than to keep hearing from you!**


	7. Hang

Legolas gently nudged his father in the ribs and indicated with his eyes that he wanted him to look down at the page again. Thranduil inconspicuously looked about the meeting room to ensure nobody was watching them and then wrote the letter 'E.'

With a smirk, Legolas drew a circle that would serve as the head. Thranduil frowned, flicked his eyes at the counselors again and wrote 'H.' A single line joined the head for the torso.

'I' was the next guess, and this time Legolas frowned.

I_ _i_ _ _ _ _ _i_

"What do you think my king?"

Thranduil and Legolas exchanged a somewhat worried look at the councilor's question, on the account that neither of them had been paying much attention for the last hour or so.

"Obviously he does not think it a good idea, he didn't before so why would he change his mind now?"

The councilors dissolved back into their bickering, nobody noticing or caring that Thranduil had not actually given an opinion on the matter; after about a minute Legolas nudged him in the side again and they returned to their game.

Thranduil scanned the blank lines that indicated how many letters he had left to guess carefully, and the wrote 'G.' Legolas rolled his eyes.

I_ G_i_g _ _ _ _ _i_

The king wrote and 'O' and the prince sighed.

I_ Goi_g _o _ o_ _ _i_o_

'N'

I_ Going _o _ _ _ _in_o_

Galion appeared to refill their water cups for them, noticing the paper sitting between them angled in a strategic way so that Thranduil managed to hide it from view of the others with his arm, "Really?"

Both of them looked up at the kings attendant like children who had been caught with their hands in a cookie jar, "Uhm, yes?" Legolas whispered back.

"It was his idea." The king said a moment after.

"Ada!" Legolas' voice had been a bit louder than he wanted it to be and had attracted the attention, Thranduil glowered at him while he sunk just slightly into his chair. The interruption was not questioned however since most assumed that Galion had appeared with an urgent message.

Taking the king's pen Galion wrote a very delicate 'W'

Legolas gave him a dark look and mumbled something about cheating which Galion was completely unfazed by as he stepped away from the table once more.

I_ Going _o _ o_ _ Win_ow

Thranduil wrote 'R' and Legolas added a leg.

'S' and another leg.

Hastily Thranduil turned over their game as a councilor excused himself from the room for a moment, after montering his retreat to make sure they were out of eyesight he flipped it back over and wrote, 'T'

I_ Going to _ o_t _ Win_ow

One of Legolas' archers scuttled in and made his way across the room trying to ignore the looks he was getting from elves far more important than he. Once he reached his prince he bent down to whisper, "I'm sorry to interrupt."

With the desperation of a dying man, Legolas latched onto his arm, "Please interrupt."

"Our scouts came back early, they say they have information that you need to hear before sending out the new patrols tomorrow."

Legolas gave his father a triumphant look and pulled the paper towards him to fill in the rest of the blanks: "I'm going to jump out a window."

He showed it to his father and crossed out 'I'm' and wrote 'you're' above it, grinning when his father scowled at him again and crumpled the paper in his hands, "Traitor."

"Jealous." Legolas shot back.

"Tread carefully, I know where you sleep."

"Bold words from a king who was losing at hangman."

"Be gone with you, foul creature."

"I'll see you at dinner?"

"Yes."

… **.**

 **I continue to be blessed with all of you who take time out of your day to read my works**

 **Thank you all so so so much!**

 **Would love to keep hearing from you, so leave a review!**


	8. Fire

The moment Legolas saw into the hall of fire he stopped dead in his tracks, tugging back on his father's hand with all the might that he had. Expecting this reaction Thranduil had already come to a stop before Legolas even had, and he looked down into frightened blue eyes.

He didn't so much as even glance inside the hall to see who might be watching when he knelt down in front of his son and took his other hand, "We don't have to go inside."

Legolas shifted his eyes from his father's face and back into the hall but then quickly to his father once more. Thranduil pulled him a little bit closer, "The weather is nice we could go play outside, or I'm sure Elrond or Erestor could find us a wonderful book to read, Celebrian also offered for you to come help her make some pies."

The elfling looked back inside the hall with a small cringe, "But they tell stories in there. Ones I haven't heard yet before."

"Tell you what, how about we go sit near the back as far away from the fires as we can?"

Legolas pressed his lips onto a thin line like he did whenever he was thinking hard about something, "Can I sit on your lap, please?"

"Absolutely." The young elfling looked back into the room and back to his father once more with a deep breath, "Are we ready?" The was the slightest of nods and then Thranduil easily tossed his son into the air and caught him, grinning at the shriek of laughter.

Nestling the little prince in his arms, Thranduil covered him with his robe so he wouldn't be able to feel the heat from any of the fires as they crossed the room. Legolas hid his face in his father's shoulder, only surfacing once he had sat down and assured the elfling there were no fires close to him.

Together the two of them listened to the stories for a few hours, Legolas leaning against his father's chest while he very gently played with the elflings in an effort to keep him calm and lull him into sleep. Occasionally at some of the scarier parts, Thranduil would gently tickle the back of his neck or blow a raspberry on his cheek to distract him.

Many of the residents of Imladris continued to sneak glances at the two of them, for this was the first visit Legolas had ever made to the valley and after a week of being here the elfling had finally entered the halls of fire.

As the night began to wind down, and Thranduil was about to prepare to take his son to bed Glorfindel approached them from where he had been sitting with Elrond and his family, "Is it alright if I join you?"

Thranduil had always been fond of the balrog slayer, "By all means."

Glorfindel nestled himself in one of the plush chairs nearby, his attention on the tiny elfling, "Would it be alright with you if we have a little talk, Legolas?"

Uncertain eyes looked up to his father who nodded in encouragement, like his father Legolas quite enjoyed the Balrog slayers company. Especially because he had taken him for many rides through the forest around the valley and spent many sunny afternoons playing in the gardens with him while his father was busy with Lord Elrond, so Legolas nodded his head.

"Fire is really scary, isn't it?"

Out of instinct alone, the elfling shifted how he was sitting to hide the obvious burn scars on his feet, and gave another nod followed by the world's softest, "Yes."

"And sometimes it really hurts, doesn't it?"

Legolas gave another small nod, nestling farther into his father's arms as the king adjusted his grip so that an arm was across the elflings shoulders and chest, "Yes."

"I'm scared of fire too." Legolas didn't look convinced, "No really, I am. Unfortunately, I don't have an Ada as good as yours to protect me from them."

Thranduil pressed a kiss to his sons head, reliving his own memories of that terrible night as his son responded, "Is it from when you fell with the Balrog?"

"Yes, it is. I don't think I will ever forget how scared I was."

Legolas dropped his gaze down to where he idly played with a corner of his father's robes, "Me either."

The king took a deep and steadying breath, Glorfindel briefly glanced into his eyes to see if Thranduil wanted him to stop. Aside from a few tears glistening gently in his eyes, Thranduil seemed relatively okay with what was happening, "But you don't have to be scared of it all of the time."

The elfling frowned at him like Glorfindel had told him something completely impossible, "Are you scared of candles, Legolas?"

"No."

"Why not?"

He looked back up at his father for a moment, and then back to Glorfindel, "Candles can't hurt me, and they give light so it isn't so dark, and without them, Ada wouldn't be able to read stories to me."

"You're right, they can't hurt you. And neither can the fires in here."

"But they're bigger."

"Yes they are, but just because something looks scary doesn't mean that it is." Again, the elfling did not look convinced, "Is your Ada scary?"

His nose crinkled with laughter, "No! Ada isn't scary."

"Some elves might argue otherwise, just like some elves aren't afraid of fire and some are. Have you ever seen or heard of fires in hearths hurting people?"

Legolas thought about it for a moment, "No."

"Have you ever seen one hurt somebody?"

The elfling shook his head, "No."

"No. Do you know why the fire hurt you and me?"

He shook his head again, "No."

"Because dark and foul creatures made it hurt us, made it do things it usually doesn't do. Are you afraid of water?"

"No."

"But it can't hurt people too."

Legolas looked a bit offended, he loved to go swimming, "Only if it's really deep, or really fast, or if you aren't careful."

"And unless it comes in the form of a Balrog, fire can only hurt you if there is lots and lots of it or if you aren't careful. You look like a pretty careful elfling to me."

"Ada says I need to listen better, though."

Glorfindel suppressed a grin, "You can learn to listen the same way you can learn not to be afraid of fire all of the time: practice."

Wide blue eyes wandered over to one of the closest fires and then quickly away again, "But how?"

"You start small, you keep trying over and over again even if its hard. How about tomorrow night we all sit just a little bit closer to one of the fires by Elrond, he loves to tell stories if you ask him nicely. Do you think you can do that, Legolas?"

He thought about it long and hard for a moment, "I can try."

"Good, that's all anybody can ask of you."

The three sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Legolas gave one of the biggest yawns Glorfindel had seen in a while. Thranduil pressed another kiss to his son's head, "On that note, I believe it is time for us to go to bed."

"Goodnight, Lord Glorfindel." He sleepily muttered as his father stood from the chair they had been nestled in, for once not objecting to bedtime.

"Goodnight Legolas, sweet dreams."

Glorfindel couldn't help but smile at the valiant effort the elfling put in to not hiding his face on the way out of the hall like he had done on the way in - even if he didn't last all the way to the door.

… **.**

 **You guys continue to astound me with your support, thank you so much.**

 **Would love to keep hearing from you, so leave a review please!**


	9. Convince

"Have you asked him yet?" Estel murmured to the oldest of his his twin brothers, Elladan.

The human leaned past his brother to give his foster father a careful look to ensure that he was still paying attention to what the King was saying. He appeared to be, and Estel hoped that meant he wasn't able to eavesdrop on his children. Which he had been known to do every so often.

"Don't look at him" Elladan hissed, pushing the young human fully back into his chair, "Do you want him to see us conspiring?"

The elf took a few nonchalant bites of the meal that sat before him. Then with his own, far more discreet, appraisal of his father he continued, "And no we have not."

"Elladan you promised!"

His other brother, Elrohir kicked him sharply under the table. All three glanced carefully at their father, who still appeared to be deep in conversation with King Thranduil.

All three of them said a small prayer of thanks for the rowdy and less than silent nature of Wood Elves, especially a hall full of them on the Yule celebration. Estel had visited Greenwood several times over his life, but this was the first time he had ever been allowed to be present for a celebration.

He had physically been in Greenwood once for the summer solstice, but Glorfindel had been under strict orders to keep Estel in his room for the evening. Try as he had might, the young man had been unable to sway the Balrog slayers opinion this time. It was often unpredictable if Glorfindel would take Elrond's or his children's sides in such matters, as he was only an ally to the opinion he believed in.

Elladan and Elrohir hadn't even tried to help Estel change the older elf's mind, a fact that their little brother had been incredibly cross with. Especially once Legolas and a few friends appeared at the door to fetch the twins, already well into their merrymaking.

Estel had tried to convince Legolas to help him with Glorfindel, and get him to lift his solitary confinement. The prince had just laughed merrily saying, "There are still some things in this world, Mellon-nin, that you are not yet ready for."

Noticing the sour expression on Estel's face he added, "That does not mean you will never be ready."

The words nearly had the human smoldering, at times the relentless cheerfulness of elves would grate on one's nerves.

"Next time, penneth," Glorfindel remarked, as Estel miserably watched the group of young elves leave his room. Their songs and laughter rang out long after their departure.

The next morning he had enlisted the help of his brothers, with a small threat of blackmail to ensure their loyalty to him this time, that they would convince their father to let him participate next time.

"We will ask him, soon. But -" Elrohir stopped speaking mid-sentence, eyes briefly widening in what might have been fear. Estel did not have to look to his left in order to know they had indeed attracted the attention of their father, who was indubitably staring at the three of them with a raised eyebrow.

"What is it you are mumbling about?" Elrond asked no son in particular.

It was Estel's hope that if he did not make eye contact he would not be called upon more specifically if none stepped forward to answer his question. The three brothers briefly shared a look of confused horror, Estel kicked Elrohir under the table to try and force him to speak. However, the second his foot connected, Elrohir kicked Elladan, who then kicked Estel.

Elrohir shoveled a truly impressive amount of food into his mouth, while Elladan appeared to be dying of thirst as he drank heavily from his goblet. Then both twins kicked the youngest simultaneously, moving him sideways slightly in his chair with the force.

Elrond's eyes narrowed slightly, and Elrohir packed more fruits into his mouth, "Estel?"

The young man threw his brothers a look of angry betrayal before turning his full attention to his father, "Ada, I know last time you did not want me to join the celebrations. But that was several years ago, and I am older now, and more mature. You said so yourself just last month, in your study. Elladan and Elrohir have already promised to stay with me the entire night, I have sworn to listen to them. Even if they tell me to go back to my room. The entire celebration will never leave this hall, I promise not to go outside into the forest. Please, Ada, please may I stay for the celebration?"

Estel saw the small smirk slide across the King's face, his father must have sensed it for he turned to see what the king had to say, "Well I certainly have no problem with the boy staying."

Estel felt as if he had just acquired the most powerful ally for his case to stay that he possibly could have. His heart swelled with gratitude.

Elrond turned slowly back towards his youngest son with a sigh, "Estel, I do not-"

"Come now, Elrond." Thranduil interrupted smoothly, "Legolas will stay with him the entire night, what safer guide could he have?"

Hearing his name, Legolas turned his attention back to the table from where he stood with friends several feet away. He drifted back to the table to stand behind his father, "What is it I am doing?"

"Staying with the boy tonight so that he may stay for the rest of the celebration," Thranduil answered, and then added with an amused look at the twins. "If he has kept your other children alive, why world Estel be any different?"

Estel shared a look with his brothers, part fear, and part hope.

Legolas nodded his head swiftly, "I will not lead him astray, only to bed. Estel will be fine with me, I swear it."

Thranduil reached for an empty cup that sat on the table in front of him and filled it halfway with wine. He slid it slowly across the table to Estle while saying, "Let the boy stay, Elrond. If you do not, it means his first true celebration will be with mortal men and unsupervised."

Elrond glared at Thranduil and his son.

"We'll stay with him too Ada." Elladan added quickly.

"Never leave his side." Elrohir agreed.

Elrond glared at them too.

"Please, Ada?" Estel finished.

"Fine. Do what you wish with your madness."


	10. Birthday

There were very few things Legolas took more delight in than successfully startling his father and noticing that he had gotten into his father's bedroom without waking him brought a wicked grin to his face. Strategically as to not jar his injured arm he ran and leapt onto Thranduil's bed.

The king woke with a small gasp followed immediately infectious laughter, "You are a rotten elfling, did you know that? You're going to kill me one day."

"Call me what you will, but just remember you are the one who raised me so ultimately I'm your fault."

"No, this sort of behavior I blame on Galion, he has poisoned your mind."

"I'm telling him you said that."

Thranduil glared at his son, "What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night and you should be in the healing ward still."

"Its midnight and it's your birthday. I stole you cake."

The king had genuinely no idea it was his birthday, but somehow Legolas always did. It was difficult to consider them important after having over seven thousand of them, "You should still be in the healing ward."

Legolas looked at him with big round eyes, "Fine, if you don't enjoy my company I will leave. And you can spend your birthday alone, while I sit wasting away in a bed-"

"I wasn't going to make you leave."

The wide eyes were replaced with a wicked grin, "I knew my own father wouldn't give me away. But we should probably find somewhere else to be while we eat the cake."

Thranduil looked at him suspiciously, "Why?"

"Once she realizes I am no longer in bed, where do you think the first place Rowen herself will check for me."

Motivated by the slight twinge of terror at the prospect of the head healer finding her wayward charge in his care Thranduil quickly climbed out of bed, "Perhaps a walk?"

"Outside."

"Away from the windows."


	11. Nemesis

Thranduil could tell even from halfway across the room that whatever the young elf from Lothlorien had said was not particularly friendly by the way Legolas went still, something he never was. The king had recognized the other elf immediately though he could not recall the name, before when relations between the realms had been better Lothlorien had sent young warriors to be trained under Lord Ferdan for a summer.

He recognized the other elf because he had been the one to break his son's nose in what he could only imagine was a brawl for the ages. Legolas never told him what had started it, although he had learned later the two had been having problems all summer.

When he had walked in to find his young son getting his nose reset, with two black eyes and split lip all Legolas had said was: "You should see the other guy."

He had asked if it was worth it, and without hesitation, his son had assured him it was.

Legolas' patients was much thinner now than it had been then, and he was far more sure of himself, and after a grueling day in the company of others who thought very little of them Thranduil had already decided this was to be the last 'council meeting' of the elven realms they would ever attend.

He watched as one of the warriors around his son made to reply to the offender but Legolas just shook his head almost definitely accompanied by an eye roll. But the other elf was not deterred.

Thranduil could tell by the way everyone around them went completely still that whatever he had said had been downright hateful. Even the twin sons of Elrond looked seemed to be frozen in fear, eyes on Legolas.

He watched his son take a very deep and long breath, and knew things were about to go very, very badly for the Lothlorien elf, the stillness of the others allowed Thranduil to hear his words, "Excuse me?"

The other elf took a step closer, "I don't intend to repeat myself if you cannot pay attention."

Without warning Legolas shot out of the chair, very clearly trying to avenge his nose from centuries before. Elrond swiftly pulled Celebrian behind the table they had all been sitting at while Glorfindel and Celeborn both reached to do the same with Arwen on the other side; a few of the Greenwood warriors cheered.

Much faster than even Thranduil expected Legolas nearly slammed the other elfs face onto the table near his father, both of his arms twisted painfully behind him and a firm grip in his hair.

There was a long silence.

"Now you are going to apologize to King Thranduil."

The other elf remained silent, until Legolas twisted his arm just a tad farther, "I deeply apologize King Thranduil, I was wrong."

Another long silence.

Legolas leaned forward to level the Lothlorien elf with one of the coldest states Thranduil had seen from him. His voice was very calm, but rang with promise, "If you ever say anything about my mother again, I will break a lot more than your nose and not even Lord Glorfindel can save you."

Thranduil's heart stopped, and there was a ringing in his ears and decided it was a very, very good thing he had not hear what the Lothlorien elf had said.

Then he stepped away and released his captive, turning to the Lord and Lady of the valley, "I

apologize, Lord Elrond, Lady Celebrian. I know how you value peace in your home. Excuse me."

Without even a glance back he left the room, all his warriors departing right after him.

Thranduil did not say a word as he stood from his chair and strode past everyone with cold indifference, like his son he did not look back.

They left the valley not even an hour later.

… **.**

 _A bit out of character perhapres but super fun to write_

 _Would love to hear from you!_


	12. Apologize

Thranduil knocked on the door, already knowing full well that even though it had hardly ever been locked that it would be now, "Legolas?"

No answer.

He briefly rested his head against the unyielding wood in defeat, "I came to talk to you," He sighed, "I came to apologize."

Still nothing

"I know you're angry with me, and I know that I'm probably the last person you want to talk to right now."

Nothing.

"I'm going to wait outside your door until you're ready. I'm patient." He could almost hear his sons laughter and sarcastic remark in his head, "For you, for you I'm patient."

With another sigh the great Elvenking sat on the ground in the corridor outside of his son's room, legs stretched out in front of him and back against the wall. The few elves who scuttled past tried valiantly to not gawk at their king sitting amongst the dirt and dust bunnies, however he didn't particularly care who saw him here. That didn't matter now, what mattered was getting his son to speak to him again.

He was prepared to sit here all night if need be. He was prepared to sit here for an entire week if that's what it took. Thankfully for him, his son was far less likely to hold grudges against wrongdoings.

It was only about an hour before the door opened and Legolas sat next to his father in the hallway silently. Thranduil stared at his hands folded on his legs in shame rather than look over at his son, "I'm sorry, I am truly and deeply sorry."

"I know."

"I didn't … I couldn't .. I just.."

Legolas rested his hand on his father's, "I know, Ada"

Thranduil continued to stare down at his hands now covered by a smaller one, his guilt rising into his throat at the sight while some of the words he had screamed earlier rang in his ears, "You scared me so badly today, I do not know the last time I was so worried-"

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"And I didn't mean to lose my temper with you."

"You never do."

The pair lapsed into silence as a few more elves scuttled by, still trying their best not to look at their royals sitting on the ground. For the first time since Legolas had left his room Thranduil looked up at him, "Can you forgive me?"

Legolas smiled, that trademark smile that never failed to raise his father's heart and spirit, "Oh Ada, I forgave you before I even opened the door."

As if to prove his words, Legolas leaned his head against his father's shoulder, ignoring the sniff of emotion above him, "How did I get so lucky to have a son such as you?"

"You must have given Eru a very good bribe."

"Must have."

… **.**

 **Ahhhhhhhhh! I'm sorry I missed a posting one yesterday guys, life got too busy and I didnt bet home until around 5 in the moring. Might post two today to make up for it.**

 **As always thank you for coming, hope you enjoyed it, and would love to hear from you!**


	13. Sleep

He was woken by ear piercing screaming, again.

How did such a small thing have so much energy? Where did it all come from? For the love of everything good and green on Arda, why did he never seem to sleep?

"Your son is awake, Thranduil."

Slowly and with a groan he rolled onto his side, pulling his wife closer and burying his face in the back of her neck, "Why is he always my son."

"Because it takes me three hours to put him to bed, and it takes you one." It was a gift it was true, but sometimes it did not feel as such, "Give him a kiss for me."

"I guess that means you'll have to give me one, to give him."

She sighed but he felt her laugh, "I'm sleeping."

But she rolled over anyways smiling warmly with soft eyes, catching him a bit off guard with the sincerity of the kiss. Pulling back he kissed both of her cheeks, "I'll be back."

… **.**

"Ada!"

Thranduil was on his feet before he was even awake, halfway out the door by the time his eyes even focused. Seven steps into his son's room, where the terrified elfling pressed into the corner by his bed waited for be saved.

They had hardly slept in separate beds since the attack. Theoretically, Legolas was supposed to be getting used to sleeping alone again.

"Come here, little leaf." The elfling promptly threw himself into his father's arms, without even a thought Thranduil grabbed his son's favorite blanket and took him back to his own bed.

His voice was very small, and he nearly trembled, "I can't"

"You don't have to."

… **..**

A tiny hand knocked on his study door, without waiting for an answer the door opened and Legolas cautiously peered inside.

Immediately Thranduil stopped the letter he had been writing and turned to his son, "What's wrong, my sunshine? I put you to bed hours ago."

Legolas shrugged, coming to stand fully into the room, "I woke up, and I couldn't fall asleep again. I went to your room but you weren't there."

"I'm sorry, I was just writing a letter to Lady Celebrian. Just let me clean up and we can go read a few more chapters in your book."

… **.**

It was a cold winter day when Legolas appeared in his study, not an uncommon orrucance by any means, but if it was in the middle of the day such as this he was either in a terrible mood or the weather was bad. Or both.

Thranduil looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, questioning which one it was.

With a smile Legolas held up a book he appeared to have stolen from the library, "It's incredibly cold outside and I figured if I was going to be read inside anyways I might as well do it here."

"Ah, well your couch is just as you left it."

Without another word Legolas nestled into his small nest of covers on his favorite spot near the fire and opened is book, leaving his father to his work.

Half an hour later Thranduil looked up to find his son fast asleep, the book closed on the table next to him.

… **..**

Galion came to fetch him a few minutes ago at near midnight, he was met with a scowling healer with crossed arms, "He is injured and needs his sleep But he will not. I don't want to give him more sleeping herbs with him still so weak."

Thranduil tried not to smile, sometimes it really was a gift, one he was now felt blessed to have.

After assuring the young healer that he would fix it he swept inside and to his sons bed. Legolas watched him approach, "Galion tattled on me?"

"Of course he did. If he said he would not and you believed him is your own problem."

Legolas really did not look well, at all. He looked better than when he had arrived three days ago but still by no means good. It broke his father's heart with every breath.

"Move over."

Obediently the prince shuffled to as close to the edge as he could get to make room for his father, who settled next to him. Almost immediately he yawned, "Can you tell me about Doriath?"

Both were asleep when Galion came to check an hour later

… **..**

He didn't care what the elf said, he might be human but he had grown up around elves. He knew how much rest they needed, and he knew that Legolas was not getting enough. Aragorn had thought his sleeping would get better once the war once done, but somehow he swore it had gotten worse.

It felt as if he had tried everything to try and force the elf to sleep, including a few attempted but unsuccessful druggings.

Now, he intended to inform the Elvenking of his sons behaviour as a last resort. He had been surprised and a bit terrified to hear that Thranduil had appeared in Gondor without a warning but he had been here nearly a full day and had shown no signs of hostility.

Rounding the corner he nearly stormed into the garden and stopped in his tracks under the king's piercing gaze. Thranduil appeared to be sitting contentedly with his own thoughts while Legolas nearly snored next to him, sleeping with his eyes closed like mortals.

Slowly and carefully he backed away.

… **.**

"I see you have kept your gift."

Her voice was better than any music he had ever heard, and her smile brighter than the sun. Seeing her again was almost like being born again.

"My gift?"

She grinned and pressed her lips against his, because he was finally here with her again and she could, "Ten years Legolas and I have been here, and never once has he slept soundly enough to no wake at every single sound or voice. Not even for the dwarf. Yet here he is"

…

 **Exactly 1000 words.**

Weirdly satisfying.

 **Would love to hear from you!**


	14. Laughter

It hadn't been that funny, theoretically.

He could tell because Lord Ferdan was staring at him and his father with a deep disappointment as both struggled to contain their obvious glee and unshakeable laughter. All things considered his father was doing much better than Legolas who had resorted to covering his mouth to literally hold the laughter in.

Just as he was finally getting a handle on himself Legolas made the mistake of looking at his father, the moment their eyes met their laughter returned with newfound strength. His stomache ached with it and a few tears slipped from his eyes.

Guessing that his friend was about to leave, Thranduil forced himself to a semblance of composure, "I'm sorry, I'm done. I'm calm."

"Are you?"

"Yes." But even as the king said the words, he struggled against a highly amused smile, Legolas snorted loudly nearby at the sight, "No, I lied. You should probably go."

The two royals dissolved back into near silent hysterics and Ferdan sighed dramatically, "You two are unbelievable."

This only made them laugh harder.

… **..**

 _I went and saw Infinity War today and y'all…. I am emotional compromised._

 _ **Would love to hear from you**_


	15. Regret

He could tell that the dwarf had been waiting all evening to get an opportunity to speak with him alone. And it seemed that Arwen whisking Legolas away for a dance was a perfect time. Thranduil did not hate the dwarf, contrary to what some might say, but sometimes he still did grieve about it. The heartbreak of mortality was a special king of pain to those who were not meant to know it, and it was something his son and the twin sons of Elrond were both about to get very well acquainted with.

"May I sit?"

Thranduil looked over to the stout creature, already noticeably older than when he had first met him, though not as much as Estel, "By all means."

The dwarf came to sit beside him, watching Legolas and Arwen dance for a while, "I used to think Legolas was afraid of you." Thranduil raised an eyebrow at the dwarf, "He never spoke about you, didn't proclaim himself your son. Now of course I know I could not have been farther from the truth."

"It would have been easier to raise him had he been. At least then he might have listened to me."

The dwarf laughed wholeheartedly, "I still do not yet know how you managed to keep him alive all this time."

"Nor do I."

Gimli cleared his throat, apparently ready to say what he had been wanting to say this entire night, "I feel like this is the last time I will see you under pleasant circumstances."

Thranduil's eyes turned to the King of Gondor, Legolas had been lucky that the boy had been blessed with extra life but it seemed even that was running to an end. He had maybe twenty years left, "Yes, I do believe you are correct."

Legolas knew his friend's life was coming to an end, he just refused to acknowledge it.

"I just thought you ought to know that meeting your son and calling him my dearest friend is the greatest thing this world has given to me. Yet know I think I am starting to understand that it could be his longest pain."

The king had warned his son about Estel, he tried to deter him from that pain. He had tried again with the dwarf, but he had already known it would not work. And then he had moved to Gondor and liver with humans, calling more and more of them friends. So many mortals.

Thranduil turned away from Estel and back to his son, "Eternity is a very long time to miss someone."

"It is something I cannot even begin to comprehend. I'm sorry for the pain I will cause him, and I'm sorry you've had to watch it happen. You are a good father, I have no doubt you tried to warn him away. And I have no doubt that he ignored you entirely."

He had to look away from his son, thinking about the devastation the loss of Estel and Gimli would bring him.

Not to mention Arwen, the rest of the fellowship, those here in Gondor.

"You're right, I tried to warn him away. And you're right, he did ignore me." He turned to face the dwarf fully for the first time, "I must ask something of you."

"Anything."

"The loss of Estel will devastate him, but he is a very good actor. When Estel passes I need you to bring my son to me, I need you to bring him home. Do not let him fool you."

Gimli didn't even hesitate, "Even if I have to bind him and drag him there by his ears."

"Thank you."

Both turned back to Legolas, who was now trying to teach one of Faramir's daughters a dance.

"There is one other thing."

Again, Gimli did not hesitate, "Anything."

"When Estle passes, Legolas will have to sail to Valinor. He should have already gone for the sea-longing has already started to take its toll. You have to make him leave, to allow him to stay will be his death."

The dwarf looked down at his hands, "Yes, we have already talked about that. He wants me to sail with him."

Thranduil blinked in surprise, there were very few things in this world that his son did not tell him, but that was one of them. Somehow, it was a good surprise.

At least Legolas would not have to say goodbye to two friends at once, and the dwarf could stay with him until Thranduil crosses the ocean himself.

"Do not have any regret your friendship, Master Dwarf. Legolas never will, even if he has an eternity of opportunity to do so."

…

 **Chapter 15!**

 **Halfway through, thanks for all of your love and support!**

 **Keep it up guys!**


	16. Snow

It had started out as a small snowball fight between Legolas and Farlen, started because one dunked the others head into a snowbank. Soon the rest of their friends joined, and then most of the young warriors. Thranduil could hear them through the closed window of his study, a seemingly endless stream of shrieks, battle cry, and laughter.

Eventually, as his mind grew tired of the relatively dull task set before him, the King found himself drifting to his window more and more to watch the scene bellow him.

Galion it seemed had even been drawn into the war, against his Prince, naturally. Thranduil also spied several off-duty guards, some of the kitchen staff, and many others from all over their home.

The cold winter air was crisp and refreshing on his face as he leaned out of the window just a smidge.

And then freezing cold collided with his face.

He knew it had been Legolas even though his face was still too covered in snow to hear his delighted cackle and see the wicked grin.

In one swift movement, he wiped his face clean and nimbly jumped out his own window. There was a small shriek of startled fear and Legolas attempted to take off running, the elflings was quick it was true but he could not easily outrun his father.

With a squawk Thranduil caught up with his son and grabbed him easily, tossing him headfirst in the nearest snow pile.

Legolas' legs kicked helplessly while Thranduil took the time to truly enjoy his revenge. Eventually, the young elf wiggled himself out of the snowbank, face red with cold, I could have suffocated and died you know!"

"Nonsense, I know how long you can talk without taking a breath. You had another minute at the very least."

"Well, now that's just rude."

"I've been called worse. Oh, and Legolas?"

Whatever response the Prince might have had was snuffed out by a wet spalt as the snowball hit its target.


	17. Flee

He was running as fast as his little legs could carry him, fully aware that his pursuer was hot on his heels. But he was small, and fear was far more motivating than anger.

If he could just manage to get down two more flights of stairs he might be close enough for his father to help him, and if not his father than perhaps Galion. If he could get to his father he would be safe, if he could get to his father it would all be okay.

In a desperate attempt to keep ahead, Legolas forsake the winding pathway he had been on and climbed onto the wall. Exactly like he had been told not to do nearly every single day since he could walk.

Making use of the incredibly open structure near the center of the mountain and he quickly managed to scramble down the two flights, something the librarian would probably never do.

For the first time in his young life, Legolas was glad his father seemed to have a supernatural power to sense when he was doing something wrong and yell at him for it.

"Legolas, what is it you think you are doing?"

Ignoring his father's demand, Legolas finished scrambling down the wall and dashed over to his father, "Ada please help, I spilled ink in the library-"

The sound of footsteps echoed down the from the stairs, and Legolas turned giant pleading eyes to his father. It was no secret the bone-chilling fear the head librarian struck into the elflings bone, it was a secret however that Thranduil had had a very similar fear in his own childhood.

Without thinking, the King snatched his son and hid him behind himself in the folds of his long robe, resting a hand over the tiny mouth to ensure silence.

Thranduil held up the papers in his hands and made a good show of being oblivious to his surroundings, just in time for the irate librarian to come charging down the last flight of stairs two at a time.

"My king, I don't suppose you have seen any elflings running this way? Somebody spilled ink all over one of my books and took off running."

"You think any elfling up to mischief would come running towards where I am known to be? No matter how many times we have tried to tell the otherwise the elflings tend to scale the walls, perhaps they went upwards."

The ancient librarian stared at Thranduil for a very, very long moment, "An elfling up to mischief would come running to you if it was your elfling, my king."

Legolas almost squirmed in his hiding place, but his father's hand kept him still, "You are correct, that is exactly something my elfling would do. However he has somehow convinced Galion to let him accompany him for the day, and I have just sent them both away with much to do."

The other elf narrowed his eyes in open suspicion but saw no room for an argument. Yet. "Of course, my king. I shall check upstairs then."

And with that, he was off searching once more, probably for Galion instead of another elfling.

Thranduil held absolutely still until he was certain they were alone again and then finally released the grip over Legolas' mouth. Motioning him to remain silent, the king took his son's hand and led him down the hallway and into his study where Galion was busy working.

"If anybody asks Legolas has been with you all day."

The attendant didn't even try to hide his grin, "Ohhhh, and what have you been up to today little prince?"

Legolas chewed gently on his lower lip, "I spilled ink in a book that wasn't mine. It was by accident! I didn't mean to!"

"Again?" Galion laughed, and Legolas winced. There was a reason he feared the librarian so much, this was not the first mishap the tiny prince had been the culprit of.

… **.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	18. Surprise

Faramir nearly burst into the room, looking more frazzled than Gimli had ever seen him. The lively conversations happening between the new King of Gondor, Gimli, Merry and Pippin came to an abrupt halt. "Uhm, the Elven King is here. In the throne room. He says he is looking for his lost captain who abandoned his post."

Aragorn set down his glass with great haste and eyes wide, "Thranduil? Here? In Gondor?"

Faramir nodded, "So he says. He seems Kingly enough for it to be him."

"Is he looking for Legolas?" Pippin asked, climbing down from his chair to go and investigate the new visitor. He had heard stories about the Elven King from Bilbo and fully intended to go take a look himself.

"Yes, he is looking for Legolas," Aragorn answered springing to his feet. His next words were directed to Faramir, "Go find Legolas, quickly. And Arwen too."

Faramir nodded and swiftly left the room, several guards trailing after him and dispersing to help with the search.

"Legolas said he was apart of the King's army, but he never said he was a captain." Gimli mused, trying to keep up with Aragorn's lengthy strides. Pippin was nearly sprinting to keep up.

"The Captain. The Captain of the King's army." Aragorn corrected, increasing his pace, "Captain of all the archers, to be specific."

"Oh dear." Pippin added, nearly out of breath with the effort to keep pace, "Is the King going to be angry?"

"I find it very unlikely that he would come all this way if he were not," Aragorn replied, descending steps three at a time in his haste. He hoped Legolas would be found quickly, making the king wait did not seem like it would go over well.

They reached the throne room and Aragorn all but sprinted inside. There, standing leisurely and starkly out of place was the Elven King.

He was taller than Gimli had expected, his robes were various colors of rich greens. As if he had taken all the colors from the forest in which he ruled and bled them into his clothes. The crown upon his head was made from sticks, with green leaves and blooming flowers. Gimli was unable to tell if they were lives plants, or made to seem like live plants.

Every movement he made seemed as it was planned years before this moment, and an air of regality and confidence oozed out of him. His long blonde hair hung gently from his head, sporting no such braids as the dwarf had grown accustomed to seeing on Legolas' head.

He had no time for pleasantries it seemed, "I have come to retrieve my captain, who has wandered oh so far from where he should be."

"Welcome to Gondor, King Thranduil." Aragorn greeted formally, well aware that Pippin had sidestepped to hide behind him now that he had seen the Elven King, "We are looking for him as we speak."

"You lost him?" The King raised a regal eyebrow, the rest of his face remaining impassive.

"Not lost, temporarily lost track of." The King and Galion exchanged a look, "You know how he is.." Aragorn added lamely when nobody else spoke.

"I know he leaves his post and meddles in affairs that are not his to meddle in."

Thankfully, for everyone involved, Legolas choose that moment to appear, "What is it Estel that is so impor-" He froze so suddenly it might have been a spell, eyes on the Elven King. "My King. You're here. In Gondor."

Gimli watched with fear as the King narrowed his eyes at Legolas, "In Gondor."

Then with one fluid motion, he knelt to the floor before his king just as the older elf began the loudest, and longest, tirade in elvish that Gimli had ever heard. Including every lecture from Gandalf. He was only able to catch a few very basic words but judging by Aragorn's expression it wasn't good.

After a few moments, he noticed the way Legolas' shoulders seemed to shake and he genuinely feared he was crying. But then the King finally stopped his yelling and Legolas looked up, struggling against laughter, "Do you feel better, Ada?"

Nearby he heard Faramir ask Aragorn in a harsh whisper, "Did he say 'Ada?'"

The King crossed his arms and snapped, "No."

"Would you like to yell some more?"

"Not particularly."

"Good." With that Legolas got to his feet and threw his arms around the Kings neck, to nearly everyone's astonishment. Then it was his turn to shower the world with relentless elvish but his was the excited chatter most had come to expect and love from the elf.

"'Ada' means father right," Faramir asked again.

… **.**


	19. Dying

I'm dying. I've never died before, but I'm certain this is how it feels. The pain is blinding and yet I hardly notice it, maybe that's how I know I'm dying. Because I should be screaming or crying or at the very least trying to stop the blood from pouring out of me.

But I see no reason to scream or cry or try and keep my blood on the inside. And only an elf who knows the halls are coming would not see a reason to scream or to cry.

Somebody's trying to do it all for me, especially the 'keeping the blood inside of me part'. He is desperate, terrified, but determined.

I can hear the screaming from those of my patrol left alive, or perhaps from the dying like me who have yet to accept it. I force a numb hand to grab the front of Legolas shirt, jerking him away from my wound with more strength than I thought I had left, "Go!"

They need to leave. Before they are all laying in the leaves beside me, watering our forest with their own lifeblood. They need to leave, and he needs to lead them.

"No, no I can't. I'm not leaving you here."

His hands shake like earthquakes, he is scared for me. He is scared for himself, but he still manages to fire off a few arrows with the accuracy I could never achieve to save the lives of his friends.

"It's okay, Greenleaf." His eyes well at the use of his nickname, the one only those who helped to raise him use. The ones who have known his father long before he was born. The ones who love him as much as their hearts would allow.

"No, please. No."

It hurts my heart more than you know, son of my dearest friend to leave you. You who has already lost so much, you who is going to blame yourself for this. I hope your father is able to talk sense into you about that, sooner rather than later.

I promised your father that I would protect you, and I have done my best. I have tried to teach you right from wrong, courage from stupidity, and optimism from delusions. I have tried to help teach you the skills, wisdom and knowledge that you need to lead our people. I have tried to teach you that love is not something to be feared, but now I think I might be teaching the opposite.

The hand that tried to shove you away comes to rest on the side of your face, wiping away a few tears, "It's okay."

I don't know how many times I've promised you that. I know you'll hear it again in a few hours when your father finds wherever you are going to hide away.

"You have to lead them home. There are others injured that have a chance. But only if you can get them to a healer."

You looks around yourself, hand gripping mine tightly. Those still standing have managed to kill the bulk of the attacking force that has done this to us. But more will come. You know they will, your only hope is to outrun them to safer ground.

"Legolas you have to go."

"I can't."

"You can and you will." I never wanted to break your heart like this, I'm sorry. "Our Lady is here, she will protect me. She will take me to the halls before more arrive, I'll be okay. I'll see you again soon."

"I don't want to do this without you."

"Go," I bring the hand that holds mine to my lips and press a kiss, "I will tell your Nana what an amazing elf you have grown to be, she'll be glowing with pride brighter than any star."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"I love you." and then I shove you away again, "Go!"

And this time, you listen to me. This time you leave me.

"Good luck, Greenleaf."

And this time I die.

… **..**

 **I tried to write this on the bus on the way to work today and let me tell you that was NOT a good idea.**

 **Thanks for reading, love to hear from you!**


	20. Letter

Thranduil had sent his son away to deliver one simple message and take a break; and all that returned was a framed bright green leaf taken from the oak they had planted in Imladris one summer, with a letter attached.

...

 _Ada_

 _I have started this letter over and over again so many times that I think I'm starting to develop a blister. I know you're angry, I know that you're are assuming the worst, and I know that no matter what I say it will not make you think or feel otherwise but I'm going to do it anyway._

 _There is no other elf anywhere on Arda living or dead that I would rather have for a father. I have never once doubted your love for me, and there is no greater honor to be found than to be your son. The forest and our people could not have asked for a better King or protector._

 _But I'm scared Ada, I'm so scared. And it's not something you can fix, though I know you're going to insist you can._

 _I'm scared that I'm losing you, and I'm scared that I'm losing me. I don't know what I'm going to do if that happens, because it feels like there is no coming back from something like that. I'm scared that if something doesn't happen very soon it's about to get so much worse._

 _And I don't think I can handle that._

 _I can't sit by and keep watching this happen, I can't keep watching friends die. I can't keep watching the forest burn and you with it. You have given everything to keep us safe, and now it's my turn to try._

 _I'm sorry to leave you, now of all times. But if I do not do it now there will be no other time._

 _Please do not cry, for there is no reason. I expect you to still be there when I get back so that we can go for long walks underneath the trees again. When I come back the forest will be green and happy, the waters crystal clear. You can yell at the raven that always nests by your window again. Like Nana said, 'just one foot in front of the other.'_

 _It will be okay, I promise. I'll see you soon, I love you._

 _To the moon and back with love, your Little Leaf._

 ** _Thanks for reading!_**


	21. Godfather

Galion knocked on the door, running the list through in his head while he waited for the call to enter. The King was reading one thing or another but Galion started talking without waiting for him to look up, "All the messages have been delivered, I have three replies for you, I crumpled two others because they were ridiculous, Lord Ferdan says and I quote, "Tell him he's being an idiot," and lastly Legolas is playing in the garden and making friends with what I presume is a squirrel but has asked that you come and fetch him for dinner "

The king looked up at him looking a bit amused, "Were you a practicing that?"

"A bit, yes."

"Its was beautiful."

"Thank you. Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"Actually I wanted to talk to you about something-" Thranduil paused, "Why are you looking at me like I just told you I'm going to light you on fire."

"Because I know that tone of voice, I've heard you use that tone of voice on other people and every single time have been glad it wasn't for me."

"Stop being so dramatic."

"Unlikely but I'll try."

Oropher had been so pleased with himself when he met Galion and assigned him to his son's service on the same day. He had heard one of the more senior servants yelling at Galion in a hallway and after hearing the reason why knew he was a perfect fit or Thranduil. He had been right, of course.

"Can you sit down please," Thranduil gestured to a chair across from his desk, "And stop hovering like a frightened deer."

"I am a frightened deer."

"Then hover in fear in a chair."

With incredible flourish, Galion leapt into the appointed chair, sitting cross-legged, "Has anybody ever told you that you are very demanding."

"You, every day."

"Well, I'm not wrong."

"Never said you were." Thranduil sat back in his chair and laced his fingers together while Galion almost visibly braced himself, "As you know everyone on the council and several others people have been demanding for some time that I choose somebody to entrust Legolas to in case something happens to me."

"You've chosen someone?"

"I've chosen you if you'll accept the offer."

Galion stared at his king, "Me?"

"You."

He went perfectly still, and Thranduil just waited for him to decide on something to say, "If this is what Lord Ferdan called you an idiot about then I think I'm inclined to agree."

"Actually we are arguing about a game of chess that he insists he didn't lose, why shouldn't I choose you?"

"Have you hit your head? He's a prince! How am is supposed to raise a prince to be a king, I know nothing about that. I can carry letters, take messages, somehow keep you alive-"

"You will not raise him to be a prince or a king, you will raise him to be happy."

Galion crossed his arms and went still again, a habit of his whenever he was trying to not be too disrespectful. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. It's part of the reason Oropher had chosen him if there was anything his son had valued it was speaking your mind. "Do you not think that Lord Ferdan would be better suited?"

Thranduil copied him and crossed his arms, "No."

"Would you stop being so smug and at least explain yourself?"

"This way is more fun."

"Thranduil I swear I will get up out of this chair and never come back."

"No, you won't."

"You're right I won't, but I'll spit in your food."

"I assumed you did that anyway." But then the king took pity on him, much to Galion's relief, "If he cannot have me, who does he call for? Who takes him swimming? Who spends their free evenings reading with him? You love him. If it not I who gets to raise him I want it to be someone who I think cares for him as much as I."

Galion remained silent and so Thranduil kept talking, "When others were making suggests to me for who to pick they only considered those who could shape in him into a king, but I will not allow for him to be shaped in any way not his own. You will raise him happy, you will let him be himself whoever that might be, you will love him for who he is in the moment and not who he could become."

Thranduil cleared his throat and uncrossed his arms, "I'm not asking you to do anything more than you are doing already."

"Fine. I'll do it, but you're still an idiot."


	22. Friendly

Thranduil looked up to where his son stood looking displeased near his chair in the hall of fire, interrupting something Glorfindel had been saying, "Can I help you with something?"

Legolas sighed dramatically, "We talked about this. You're supposed to try and be friendly, remember? You promised both Galion and Lord Ferdan that you would try."

Thranduil sighed just as dramatically back, "I am being friendly, look I'm talking Lady Celebrian and Lord Glorfindel."

"You always talk to Lady Celebrian and Lord Glorfindel."

"So that suddenly makes it hostile?"

"Would it hurt you to talk to somebody else?"

"I mean, it might."

Legolas turned to where Glorfindel struggled to hide a smile, "Has he always been like this?"

"Yes I have, you've made enough friends for the both of us," Thranduil gestured outwards in a general sweeping motion, "Go fraternize with them."

"Ah yes," Celebrian broke in pleasantly, "am I to expect you and Arwen to disappear for three days and then suddenly reappear. Because if so have fun, she needs some time apart from the twins before she tears them to shreds."

Thranduil narrowed his eyes at the redness in his son's ears, "Yes, am I to expect you to try and secretly be sick off the side of your horse on the way home again? Because that was honestly very amusing and I applaud your efforts."

The redness deepened somewhat.

This time Glorfindel gestured away with a sweeping motion, "Run along Leafling, before they get worse." Legolas wisely took this opportunity to vanish back into the crowd. "You know Thranduil, you really do seem quite unfriendly."

Thranduil rolled his eyes, "Just because you've been reborn doesn't mean you get an opinion on everything."

"No, but the fact that I'm incredibly nosy does."

… **..**

 **Less than 10 days left guys, thanks for all the love!**


	23. Hunt

To live in these woods was to be a good hunter because if you were not you were the hunted. And there were now many things that might hunt to eat you.

If you were anywhere in his woods, he could hunt you.

He says he is friends of the trees, the forest whispers to him.

Well, he is no friend of mine.

The leaves ruffle themselves, then he is no friend of ours.

It was admirable that he left so much of those traveling with him on the outside of the forest, but that did not mean Legolas and his patrol trusted him.

The wood elves silently spread out around their visitor, it was not often elves they did not know arrived with no notice. Or at least none that he had heard about.

The forest swallowed what little sounds they made and discreetly shifted their branches to better conceal their elven companions. They could have followed him for hours if they chose too, could have hunted him.

But then the new elf and the few who entered the forest with him came to a stop, "I assume by now that somehow Thranduil is aware of my presence here, and I would like to take the opportunity to announce myself as Lord Celeborn, hopefully still a friend here."

The wood elves stilled, they knew who he was by name of course but not by sight. Legolas had been told that the two of them had met when he was much younger but he had no memory of it. He has been told that in Dorath Celeborn and his father had been good friends.

"What is your business here?" Farlen asked, his voice purposefully booming, still perfectly hidden amongst the leaves.

Lord Celeborn seemed unbothered, "Pleasant conversation, hopefully."

Legolas was curious about the new elf, someone he had heard many stories of but had no memory. Early he leapt from the tree he had been perched in closer to one right by the side of the road, and using one of the limbs swung himself onto the Elven Road. "The King is busy, may I take a message?"

Looking at his face now he had some vague recollection but nothing specific. Lord Celeborn's memory, on the other hand, seemed perfectly intact, "Hello Legolas, I must say you ended up much taller than I had expected."

"There is a theory amongst children in the mortal villages around our forest that if they hang from tree branches long enough, they'll stretch longer. Perhaps they're right."

This response seemed to delight their visitor and he let out a merry laugh, "Doesn't explain your father though."

Legolas shrugged, "Sheer force of will." This too seemed to delight their guest. "So what is your excuse then, Lord Celeborn?"

"The rage I bottled within me every time somebody used me as an armrest fueled an additional growth spurt."

But now the Prince was done with pleasantries but was not unpleasant. "What business do you have with my father?"

"Your father has been ignoring my letters and the rest of the world for too long, and I intend to give him no choice but to see me. I have known him for thousands of years and I know we cannot wait for his stubbornness to die away."

Legolas looked him up and down thoughtfully, and then the few that had come down the road with the same scrutiny, "You will ask nothing of him? No resources, no military aid? Because the answer will be no."

Celeborn held up his hands in defense, "I wasn't lying when I said I came here for pleasant conversation."

The Prince stared him down with such intensity that the Lord's wife would have been proud of. And then he smiled a seemingly genuine smile, "Welcome to Greenwood."

"Thank you, it is good to be here again after so much time."

Lord Celeborn was more relieved than he would admit when the Prince seemed to readily accept him. He had been thoroughly warned by both Elrond and Gandalf that if he did not surpass Legolas' inspection there would be no getting into the forest. There would be no talking to Thranduil. And he only had one shot at convincing him.

He hadn't believed it at the time, his head still so full of images of a tiny and loving elfling. But that was a long time ago, and he had grown. After seeing him, Lord Celeborn was fairly certain Legolas would have thrown him out without a second glance.

Good. It was good that Thranduil had somebody to love and care for him as much as he did for others, perhaps things here were not quite as bad as he thought.


	24. Mist

Glorfindel could have cut the tension in the air with a gentle exhale, he had not missed the look in the eyes of the warriors who volunteered to help escort Elrond to collect what herbs he needed. He was going as fast as he could, Glorfindel knew, but in situations such as these, it always felt as if it was never fast enough.

Legolas had not allowed the twins to come, and perhaps that was warning enough, and forced Elrond and Glorfindel to wear similar clothes as his warriors, "What exactly is it that you're all so prepared for but scared of?"

Legolas smiled, just a bit, "I'll tell you when we get back home."

"I'm loving the sound of that."

Then, all at once the wood elves went still and Glorfindel knew their time was up. Within seconds Elrond and his companion and practically been thrown and dragged into the treetops. They only had a semblance of balance before they were being pulled along by the other warriors, Glorfindel finally found out what all the rope they had was for.

It was to attach him and Elrond to keep them from plummeting to their death should their grip slip from the trees.

He dared a glance back in time to see clouds of thick heavy dark mist rising from nowhere, every from here he did not like the smell of it, "Eyes forward." Legolas reminded him.

The key was to not panic. To panic was to be sloppy, hectic, to panic was to die.

Eyes forward, don't look at what was behind.

It took nearly all he had in him to keep up with the Silvan elves in the tree's and he was suddenly very grateful the twins had not been allowed to come. Then he and Elrond were getting pulled away to the right while Legolas and other went left, he might have argued but knew better than that.

…..

Thranduil wasn't mad at him specifically, Elrond knew, but at the world in general. He had long since understood that the king tended to hide grief and fear with anger. The samples had been safe, thankfully.

Samples they had written and asked him to come retrieve so that they could have better strains and anti-venom. It was necessary, it's why they did it, but that did nothing to reassure a scared father.

Elrond busied himself tending to whatever wounded that was to be tended too, while Thranduil sat with perfect stillness by the door.

Hours went by.

And then finally they returned, one carried on a stretcher with burns like none Elrond had seen before on half his body, while two had burned down one of their arms and part of their shoulder.

The Greenwood healers rushed for the one on the stretcher and the female warrior, but they all left Legolas in the care of his father.

Elrond watched as Thranduil poured a milky white substance over the burns and it seemed to immediately soothe the area, Legolas had his eyes closed and was breather very slow and even breaths.

The area around the burns and blisters almost looked like the sights of spider bites, the way it turned the flesh dark even from a distance from the wound, "This is why you needed the samples."

With incredibly surprising tenderness Thranduil began rubbing lotions and slaves onto Legolas' trembling arm that smelt quite like the plants he had just been digging up, "Yes. Somehow, we don't know how they can put the venom in the air now. Our plants were not strong enough anymore."

He was at a loss for words, "That's awful."

Before his father could talk Legolas broke in and his father let him, "I mean, it isn't ideal." His voice sounded somewhat cheerful, but Elrond could tell that it was faked. Legolas cleared his throat,"Could you give up a moment alone, please?"

"Of course."

… **..**

 **I was just watching 'The 100' and then the prompt was mist. It was meant to be.**


	25. Monster

"Arwen are you okay?"

She nodded, still terrified - of him quite potentially, there was a lot of blood - and then Elladan came crashing over the top of the hill. The rest of her family close behind.

They had never seen him like this, he never wanted any of them to see him like this, but they had hesitated.

They had somehow been ambushed by Orcs in the mountains on the way to Imladris and one had managed to snag Arwen despite her valiant effort and all of them had thought about Celebrian.

They hesitated, and he didn't.

It was over before they even got there.

They had never seen him like this.

He turned back to Arwen who stared at him wide-eyed, there was a lot of blood and almost none of it was his. Awkwardly he stumbled backward, "The tree's promise that there are no more. You are safe."

And then he did the only thing he could think to do, he ran.

…..

Elrond, Elladan, and Elrohir reached Arwen at the same time and they all began to immediately fuss over her while Glorfindel double checked the Orcs to ensure they were all dead. They were, very efficiently he might add.

Elladan broke away from the rest of the family to go chase after Legolas, but Glorfindel put a quick stop to that. "Take your sister home."

"But Legolas-"

"Let me worry about Legolas, you take Arwen home."

Arwen was more or less well if not terribly shaken and so after her father thoroughly examined her the twins whisked her away to the safety of Imladris while Elrond and Glorfindel waited there.

And waited.

"I would say that's been about ten minutes, wouldn't you Elrond?"

He shrugged, "Give or take a minute."

Together they set off at a somewhat leisurely speed towards the nearby river and true enough once they arrived they discovered a recently soaking wet Woodland Prince who lacking any tree to climb into had resorted to the largest rock within walking distance.

Legolas didn't move or say anything, though he was perfectly aware they were there.

"It's not as bad as you think it is, Leafling, I promise you."

…

Legolas tried not to scoff but probably didn't succeed very well, "Do not make me any promises, I tell enough lies to know not to let a promise sway the validity of someone's statement."

He thought it sometimes, late at night when his days haunted the darkness: _Monster_

But he had never felt it like that before, but until he looked into Arwen's eyes and saw himself for what she saw. And he did not like it.

How could anybody?

He was homesick, already, even though his home is what he as supposed to be taking a vacation from. But sometimes home was the people and not the place and he loved his people. There was a reason they did not leave their forest anymore.

They were different. They had always been different he knew, they were looked down upon for being too wild. Too simple. But now they felt the shift between the Greenwood and the others more than ever. They were animals, the kind you close your doors against at night, monsters you light a flame to ward against.

They had been called such by humans who did not know them many times, usually, as they stumbled out of the forest screaming curses and wreaking of fear. But that was there, and this was here.

They weren't supposed to look at him like that here.

He wanted his home. He wanted his father.

…..

Glorfindel had not seen a look like that on his face since around they had talked about fire all those centuries ago. That true and honest fear. The difference now was that before it was a fear he could solve, now he feared there was only one person who could.

Elrond stepped forward, grabbing Legolas' arms and pulling him off the rock into a standing position, "I need you to listen to me, can you do that?"

The Balrog-slayer leaned against a rock wall, perhaps his friend had more tricks up his sleeve than he thought.

"I'm listening."

"You are a good soul, inside and out and there is not another on Arda who I am more sure about that fact than I am with you. You bring laughter, sunshine, and joy everywhere you go no matter the circumstances. You are a good, gentle, kind, and loving soul who has been forced on the frontlines of a war that should have been ended an age ago."

Legolas cleared his throat, "You should not feel guilty about what is happening to me now. I know you do, but you shouldn't. Anybody could have taken the Ring from Isildur"

Elrond, it seemed decided to ignore the comment, "See, even now you worry for me. Arwen was scared, but not of you. Never, ever of you. I imagine she will want to thank you when she sees you."

"I do not want to be thanked for something like that."

"She will be thanking you for being her friend, and for caring for her. Just as I am thanking you now for saving my daughter. Sometimes it feels like we do bad things, really bad things, but that doesn't mean we ourselves are bad."

Elrond straightened Legolas' shirt and collar, "Now did you listen to all of that?"

"Yes."

"Good. If you would still like to return home to your father we would understand, but please know that you will always be the most welcome in our valley. Also if you go home Glorfindel is going with you because there is no way after this that you are going alone."

Legolas debated his options for a good long while and the older elves patiently waited for him to make a decision, "I would very much like to come stay with you for a while, but if I could-"

"Write your father the moment you get there? Absolutely."

… **.**

 **Five more after this and then its done!**

 **I had a super bad day today so I guess angst is the way to go.**

 **Love to hear from you!**


	26. Annoy

Thranduil was good at ignoring things, and he was stubborn. But his son was persistent and incredibly bored.

First Legolas had whistled a few tunes, then paced the room 'accidentally' bumping his father's chair sometimes, then a water droplet sound with his mouth, and then the final straw was when he began trying to encourage a bird to fly inside.

Because even in his persistence to annoy he seemed unable to remain doing the same task for extended periods of time.

There was an end to even the kings stubbornness, "Really, Legolas? You are 78 years old and you cannot entertain yourself?

Legolas stared at him with wonderfully fabricated honesty, "No, absolutely not. You are my entire world Ada, and I intend to keep it that way forever. I'm your problem forever."

"Try not to say it like a threat."

"Awww Ada, it isn't a threat. It's a promise."

"A threatening promise perhaps."

Thranduil made a show of returning to his work and Legolas was silent for - One, two, three, four, five, six, - six seconds before he sighed dramatically.

The king flattened his papers against the desk once more, "What?"

"Oh no, nothing don't worry about it."

Thranduil was not going to play this game. He went back to his work.

One, two, three, four, five, six, sev- six and a half seconds this time before another sigh.

The king struggled to resist the urge to throw something at his heir if there was an elf on Arda that knew how to annoy him it was the smog little imp on his couch.

"If you are having that much trouble breathing, my son, I would suggest you seek a healer and if you do not seek a healer I will take that we confirmation that you do not, in fact, need to breathing like that."

Thranduil held eye contact for ten entire seconds before returning to his work, for Valars sake it was not even past noon.

And then Legolas popped his lips in that way, that one specific way and Thranduil nearly set the papers on his hands on fire.

"What? What do you want? Because what is about to happen is I am either going to throw you out of that window or assign you to some horrid chore until your back hunches with time."

Legolas had won. He knew he had won. "Oh, so you say that and want me to tell you what's wrong?"

"Have I done something to offend you in some way?"

"Yes, you have."

This ought to be good. Thranduil folded his hands in front of him and leaned back in his chair, "Oh, and what is that?"

Legolas made a good show of sighing, just once more, for the effect, "You are here, slaving away on things that do not matter when it is such a beautiful day outside with such wonderful things to do."

Thranduil sighed, "It does matter, and things such as?"

He had known he was going to win long before he entered his father's study, otherwise, he would not have come. "Name three things you have to do that absolutely cannot wait three days, and things such as a wonderful son who is the light and joy of your life who just wishes to spend time with you."

"Why are you like this?"

"What does that mean?"

Legolas knew he would win.

Thranduil grunted with feigned disinterest, "It means I suppose all if this is going to have to wait until tomorrow." 


	27. Relatives

Somehow Frodo knew with certainty that there was something in the woods, except nobody else seemed to notice over dinner, and he didn't know if he should say anything over a hunch he had no proof for. But later as Legolas volunteered for the first few watches and everyone fell asleep Frodo noticed the way the elf stared into the woods. Gaze unmoving.

Softly and slowly he approached where Legolas sat against a tree, "There's something in the woods, isn't there."

The elf seemed unconcerned "Yes, there is. But she will not harm us."

"She?"

"A lone Warg, and judging by the size I assume a young mother. We're probably in her territory, but she knows I see her and therefore she will not harm us. She will watch us through the night, perhaps ensure we truly are on our way in the morning and then we will never see her again."

Frodo took the opportunity for conversation and sat down, sometimes being awake with yourself all the time was lonely, "How do you know that's exactly what she's going to do?"

Legolas looked away from the woods and over to the hobbit and shrugged, "It's what I would do. Contrary to what my father may say not all intruders are bad, and in a world where fitness and the ability to fight are necessary to live, you only attack when you have to. Especially if they're aware of you."

He looked back out towards the woods, "The best fight to have is no fight."

Frodo tried to see what the elf was looking at but couldn't, unsurprisingly, "You don't talk about your father."

In fact, the Hobbit was almost positive this was the first time he had been mentioned at all.

"No, I don't."

"Why not?"

"Because I do not care to hear what others have to say about him."

The response seemed surprisingly honest, and for some reason, it wounded his heart to hear, "My Uncle Bilbo only had good things to say about him, if that helps. And you, although I do not think he knew your name or who you were."

Legolas turned back to him, "I admit, I'm curious. What did Bilbo say about us?"

"Whenever he told me the story of his journey he always mentioned how kind you both were. He said that living in your halls seemed like magic because it was so full of light and love, especially compared to the forest outside, even for a short time."

"He says the first thing the king did when he presented the Arkenstone was to thank him so sincerely it almost stung, and then asked somebody to find him warmer clothes and something to eat. He says he remembers you bringing him and Gandalf warm teas to soothe painful wounds, physical or otherwise - although he always mentioned you gave yours to the wizard with a frown."

Legolas laughs a bit at this, and Frodo's heart is glad to hear it, "I was so mad with the wizard that day I thought I might strangle him, but a loss of a friend is a loss of a friend. When he brought Gollum to us I screamed at Mithrandir for a good long while, my father had laughed so hard."

Frodo could remember Lord Glorfindel making a joke about Gandalf being afraid of Legolas and Thranduil he had a feeling that perhaps that was the reason why.

"He remembers you playing with the children before and after the battle, and the dedication the king had for everyone's safety, not just his own people. You offered the dwarves help too, they refused it of course. But you offered."

Legolas whistled two notes, and Frodo wasn't aware of why until a bird he had not seen answered the call, "My father is the kindest Elf I think I will ever meet, it's just that we and the other elves seem to measure kindness by different standards."

"You miss him very much."

"Yes I do, and more with each passing day. There is already so much I cannot wait to tell him."

Frodo stared off into the tree's for a while trying to see the warg before he plucked up the courage to speak again still not sure if it sounded ridiculous, "I know it is not the same but everyone in the Shire thought Bilbo was very strange. They thought he was much too odd, unwelcoming, and at times perhaps slightly less then sain. My Uncle Bilbo is my favorite Hobbit in all the Shire and beyond and sometimes I had to excuse myself from gatherings because of the gossiping I heard. It hurts one's heart and sometimes there's no need to hear it."

Legolas looked over at him once more, "I'm sorry that you understand what it feels like. However, if it helps, I have always thought very well of your Uncle Bilbo. Such a clever little Hobbit, with such strength of both will and character, plus he's quite funny."

"Thank you."

Looking back towards the tree's Legolas commented, "You should try and get some sleep now, tomorrow will be another long day. Do not worry about your watch, I am enjoying my staring contest with our new friend too much." 

… **.**

 **So close to the end guys, thanks for all the love still!**


	28. Time

The fellowship was collectively in a terrible mood - except for Legolas who had vanished into the overhead leaves to enjoy some better company - even the Hobbits had been snappish. Aragorn was tired of it.

This journey was going to be long, and the weather for the next few days seemed to be turning for the worst. If they were going to endure it all together they might as well be in the best of moods possible.

The Ranger turned to the pile of halflings who had been whispering amongst themselves, "Did you know that Elves have a terrible concept of time?"

Sam's wide eyes, in particular, peered out at him, always thirsty to learn what he could about Elves, "Really?"

Aragorn nodded, struggling to hear if the elf was cursing him yet, "Some are worse with it than others; luckily for us, we happen to be accompanied by one of the worst with it."

Legolas thumped to the ground before his friend could call for him, obviously having been listening from the treetops, "I will never understand your obsession with this game. But nevertheless, I shall play."

The Ranger had known he would play, he would have long since guessed Aragorn would attempt to raise their spirits for its what he would do if they were his to lead. Besides, he had a soft spot for Sam in particular even if the Gardner hardly got up the courage to even speak to the Elven Prince.

Legolas sat with some flourish between Aragorn and Gandalf and immediately began weaving the long strands of grass around him, "Well get it over with."

Aragorn grinned, "How long ago did Elladan break his collarbone when he fell off his horse?"

"Oh Valar," Legolas looked up at the leaves as if they might give him the answers, "Well it was before you got here and you're 97 right?"

This time he looked to his friend who just continues to grin with mischief, "You don't get clues."

"No, you're eighty-seven. I think. Are you month seven or eight seven? I think a seven is involved. Either way less than one hundred. So I'll guess two hundred years?"

Aragorn cackled with delight and even Gandalf smiled, "Wrong! Nearly five hundred."

The hobbits gasped with humor and surprise, bright eyes urging another question, "How long ago did we last visit the town of Mistrim?"

Legolas clearly didn't know the answer to that question either, "Twenty years?"

"Over Forty."

"How long since I last spent the summer in Greenwood."

"That question would be a lot easier to answer if you told me how old you are!" Aragorn just shook his head and continued to grin, "Ugh, fine. Sixty-three."

"Shockingly close but I know it was a guess so I'm not counting it." Legolas made various noises of disgust and outrage but Aragorn just spoke over them, "How old are you? Exactly how old?"

Everyone assumed perhaps this was a way to calm the elf, give him a question he could not possibly get wrong. But Legolas just winced slightly and Pippin could not hold it in and cried out, "You don't know how old you are?"

"I know around how old I am" Legolas waved a hand vaguely in the air, "At a certain point the exact age becomes unimportant."

"And," Gandalf added with a satisfied puff of his pipe, "Your father knows exactly how old you are, possibly to the day, so there is no point in you remembering it."

Legolas turned betrayed eyes to the wizard, "That," he pointed an accusing finger, "Is not the point!"

"How could you not know hold old you are?" Pippin asked again, scandalized.

"Something that is an infinite resource is hard to keep track of, okay! Do you count the breaths you take? Or the steps you take? Time is just," he waved his hands vaguely in the air again, "Continues on for me. I have no reasons to count it in the same way as you."

Pippin narrowed his eyes, "How come your father can remember how old you are but you can't?"

Legolas shrugged, "I don't know, he's just always been good with time as far as I remember. He can keep track of all the villages that live around our forest by the names if their leaders and their families for generations. He used to correct me about it now he just groans in a way that lets me know I got it very much wrong. But then, he is better at many things than me, but perhaps I will learn with time. As mentioned before, I do have quite a lot of it."

The elf seemed to have almost been whisked away for a moment but brought himself back with a forceful clearing of his throat, "Anyways, even if I cannot keep track of time I'm aware that it is now dark, which means it's time for all of you go to sleep. I will take the first several watches."

With that Legolas vanished back into the tree branches, leaving most of the fellowship with much more cheerful moods, except perhaps the wizard who had noticed his sudden sadness.

Gandalf thought about trying to talk to him but decided that the company of the trees would be far more reassuring than he could ever be.

He knew that Legolas was counting the days since he left his father, hopefully, the young elf would not have to test his memory for very long.

The poor Greenleaf, so far from his forest and most importantly the one who waters and cares for him best.

Hopefully, he was still green by the end of this. 

… **..**

 **Hey guys, I'm sorry I missed two days but real life got in the way. Anyways, here's today's!**


	29. Meetings

Meeting her son for the first time had been the best moment of her life. Cradled so carefully in her arms, she had fallen in love with him the second he was placed there.

But then she had to leave him in a forest alone, left him to burn with the underbrush and left for the hall before she could tell anyone where he was.

She had begged Mandos to tell her if he died or not, and if so when. She needed to know if what she had done would cost both of them their lives, but he would not say.

It was Yavana who came and told her that Thranduil had found their son, and they were together and safe.

Meeting her son for the second time would be the scariest thing she ever did.

She didn't know how she could even begin to make up for what she had missed, because he had grown into not only a wonderful person but to be a legend.

She had heard stories from Greenwood warriors about his heroic feats and it was incredibly hard to not notice their love and loyalty. It felt sometimes like she was learning about someone from the first age, somebody who died long before she was born and was living out the worst of days the best they could.

But it was her who had died.

Legolas was one of the nine who walked to destroy the ring. One of five hundred who stood before the black gates trying to give the ring bearer the time he needed. And seeing him now she could believe it. She struggled to hold back her tears the very moment she laid eyes on him, just like the first time. Except for this time Thranduil was not there to laugh at her, wipe her tears, kiss her head and say something to make her laugh.

No, this time she was alone to look upon him.

Her son, her beautiful son. He looked much more like Thranduil than she had expected him to, and it guilted her to admit she had hoped he wouldn't so waiting for him would not be as lonely.

Legolas hadn't seen her yet, and for right now she was happy with that. He was talking enthusiastically with Lady Celebrian and her twin sons about something, she could not even begin to guess what they might be talking about.

She knew nothing about him, her own son. She knew nothing other than what had been told to her by stories from the dead.

"It is good to see you again, Mereneth." The long lost queen jumped slightly, having been startled by the sudden voice and whipped her head to the side to see an apologetic Lord Elrond, "Apologies, I didn't intend to startle you."

Pressing one hand to her thudding heart and resting the other lightly on his arm she managed a smile, "No, please its alright, I'm still just a tad jumpy it would seem, being back is different than I thought it would be."

Elrond gave a small laugh, "Glorfindel said the very similar thing." He looked over to where Legolas was still enjoying his conversation, "Why have you not yet gone to talk to him?"

"Meet him." She corrected.

"Pardon?"

"When I go over there it is to meet him. The Legolas and son I knew was a carefree elfling who had dragged me out to the forest find his father the best flowers for his spring crown. I know nothing about this Legolas, how am I even supposed to start?"

He seemed to contemplate something for a few moments, his head tilted slightly to the side while he regarded her. "His favorite color is yellow, he won't drink any medical teas without a jug of honey in it, he has been known to squirt liquid out of his nose with laughter, he whistles to birds when he sees them to say hello, his favorite person is his father. I think you will find he is still very much the elfling you saved those years ago."

She looked at him again, at the easy smile that sometimes seemed the natural way for his mouth to sit, he still fidgeted - even from here she could see the way he played with a ring on his finger - and she still loved him just as much as she had the first time she looked down at him.

As if sensing the change within her Elrond began guiding her through the small crowd over to Legolas. Having spotted the serious expression on his husband's face and the way Mereneth stared at Legolas, Celebrians motherly hackles immediately roared to life and the queen made a mental note to thank her later.

Legolas, however, had gone statue still.

The queen came to stand before the group, "I apologize for the intrusion but I'm-"

"I know who you are."

Legolas looked like he might faint, or throw up, or cry. Perhaps all three.

Mereneth was fairly sure she looked about the same. She had not dared to hope that he would recognize her after all this time.

Her son. Her little Greenleaf.

He seemed to decide on tears and managed to choke out, "Nana," before he was right there in front of her, and she was allowed to hold him.

Mereneth knew she was crying and probably crushing him in their hug, but she also knew she didn't care, "You've gotten so big."

Legolas managed a laugh, that same soulfully cheerful laugh he had the day she left him, "Ada says that if I had grown two more inches he would have to cut me off at the ankles so I wouldn't be taller than him."

Now she was really crying, but also laughing, "That sounds like your father."

Oh, how she missed him, how she had missed her son. At least soon she would have endless days with them once more very soon. And until Thranduil got there, at least she had ample time to learn everything about Legolas that she could.

She didn't remember what she had been so scared about in the first place. 

… **.**

 **I feel like you all need to know the reason they were all gathered together was to celebrate Aragorns birthday, I was gonna fit that in but then didn't have room.**

 **One more left!**

 **Would love to hear from you!**


	30. Tell

"So are you going to tell us what happened or not?" Elladan asked, clamping one arm around Legolas' shoulders to keep him from running away the second she turned the corner.

Immediately the prince's ears turned a bright red color and he struggled to get out of his friend's strong grasp when the other twin slammed into his other side. "Or not."

"What?" They both cried out, appalled.

Legolas rolled his eyes, "Maybe later."

"Later?" Elladan asked.

"Why not now?" Elrohir exactly a second after his brother, "You must be joking."

Legolas struggled half-heartedly to get out of their grip once more but failed, "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Elladan squeezed him a bit tighter, "You look like someone who wants to tell his two best friends about his - maybe - date."

"Neither of you is my best friend." Legolas snorted.

Elrohir matched his brothers iron grip," Galion doesn't count."

"Just because I like him better than you does not mean you need to hurt his feelings."

"Does he even have feelings?" The twins asked together

Legolas tilted his head to the side, "Does 'Revenge' count as a feeling?"

The twins decided to ignore him and continue on with their own conversations. He often wondered why Elladan was almost always the first to speak.

"It would seem we are heading towards where our father is staying ."

They both gasped, and then spoke as one, "Are you telling us that you will not tell us anything until you tell your father?"

This time, Legolas successfully broke away from them and corrected, " _Cannot_ tell you anything until I tell my father."

...

Thranduil took one look at his son's pink ears and Elrond's sons hovering like vultures nearby and nearly burst out laughing. He looked back at Elrond over their unfinished chess match, "I think I'm going to have to admit defeat, it would seem my son has something to tell me."

Elrond looked between where Legolas stood to wait for his father and then at his own sons, and then back to Thranduil. "How do you get him to do that?"

The king frowned, "Do what?"

"Just," Elrond gestured somewhat with his hands at nothing in particular, "tell you things. All the time, without you having to ask or to pry. How? Everyone keeps telling me its phase with the twins but it does not seem like a phase."

Thranduil thought about it for a moment but honestly did not have a good answer, "I hope it's because he knows he can tell me anything and everything without judgment and receive all the support I can give him. I hope it's because he knows that I love him more than anything and if something significant has happened in his life I want to hear every detail. I hope it's because he likes telling me."

The king knocked over the king piece on the board with a careless flick of his finger, "I don't know, Elrond, but I hope it never stops."

Elrond seemed to accept this and then glanced at Legolas who was still getting harassed by his offspring. He was genuinely surprised that Arwen had not yet appeared to help terrorize him for information. "What do you think it's about?"

Just picturing how red Legolas' ears had been when he walked actually did make him laugh this time, "A girl. If you would excuse me."

With that he left the game, leaving the king fallen on the table for he had more important matters to attend. With one single sweeping glare, the twins were sent scattering and Thranduil and his son passed peacefully away into the hallway and began whispering the very instant they were out of earshot. 

…

 **And so, our 30 (ish) days have come to an end.**

 **This was slightly harder than I expected it to be, but much more fun.**

 **Thank you all for all the love and support, I couldn't have done this without you!**

 **And now, for the last time I would love to hear from all of you.**

 **Keep on keeping on**


	31. Himself

There was no shortage of unique things when it came to Legolas the beloved Prince of Greenwood. Glorfindel had always found him delightfully odd, even for a wood elf, and knew for certain he was far from the only one to think as such.

Even Thranduil had been known to mutter such things as: 'What an odd child.' and 'Did I raise that?'

But by far the most unique thing about him was his ability to be uninhibitedly himself nearly all of the time, and even Glorfindel who had no actual parenting experience (though sometimes he claimed otherwise after all his time spent with Elrond's offspring) knew it was a product of an astounding family bond.

Only an elfling who knew he would be loved no matter what mistakes he did or did not make, no matter what he said or who he hurt, and no matter how ridiculous he acted. It was only such assurances that led to such an unparalleled open character.

Even far into adulthood, he could be distracted by so much as a butterfly sweeping past an open window, his mind only every seeming half inside his head, the other half wherever it choose to be at the time.

Most parents would teach their children to be otherwise, or at least teach them to hide it. But that wasn't who Legolas was, Legolas was the elf who half listened with one ear enough to understand but if you asked what they were thinking about it could range from 'Nothing, just listening to you.' to 'Do squirrels ever actually stop collecting nuts at any point? How many do they need a year? Do they just keep doing it until they die? Is there some sort of nut cap? Ada ask the forest I need to know if they know the answer.'

Legolas sang when he wanted to sing, threw decorum to the wind in order to roll down a particularly grassy hill, and didn't bother to stifle any laughter even after water was sprayed from his nose. He said what was on his mind and was certain it was heard, he was stubborn like an ox and was open about the fact he didn't particularly care what or who was in his way he intended to plow through them. He was impossibly sweet and friendly to everything he met, regardless of how frowned upon it was at such dangerous times.

He could shoot a spinning coin from horseback in one moment and be reciting the worst poetry he could manage to come up with the next.

He was odd, he was unique but he was always so wonderfully Legolas. 

… **...**

 **Sooooooooooooooooooooo writers blocks is literally eating me alive again.**

 **So I think I'm going to do another 10 days of little prompts :)**


	32. Face-first

Sometimes it helped to yell and pace and order people around, sometimes it was best to calmly talk things out and work together and sometimes he just needed to sit in silence with befor he threw somebody out of a window.

He didn't even have the patients to try and make it to his private chamber and so he settled for remaining within a locked office.

More for their sake than for his.

Because, at least this way he could lay face first in his desk until his blood pressure returned to normal. Or the world finally came to an end, whichever came first. At this point, it didn't much matter.

Even Galion tended to leave him alone when he was like this, and everyone else followed his lead. Everyone except one elf. Well, elfling as the case may be. Well, an elf who would always be Thranduils elflings no matter how big, strong, and capable he got.

Legolas didn't need a key or any password for the doors to know to unlock themselves and allow entry to the room, and so they swung open without warning. There was a soft 'thudding' sounds before silence.

Not even a hello.

Somewhat curiously Thranduil left his head to spy his offspring sprawled face first in the rug, clearly agreeing with his sentiments about the quality of the day. He tilted his head to the side slightly when Legolas heaved a particularly deep sigh, "Are you going to survive?"

"That has yet to be foreseen. Are you?"

Thranduil laid his head back onto his desk, "Probably. I havn't decided if that's to continue being King or change my name, run off into the trees and live barefoot for a few hundred years."

"You can be barefoot and be king, you know. You don't have to pick and choose."

"Its more of an all or nothing ordeal."

"That's fair, then my vote is for barefoot in the wilderness." The two elapsed into a long, drawn out moment of complete silence. "Maybe I'll move to Rivendell for a bit, change my hair color and insist Elrond always had triplets."

"It could work."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"We could continue to lay here until we decide whatever it is we decide. Or I become one with the desk and you the floor."

"I love it. It's this kind of forward thinking that keeps you King."

...

 **Sometimes you just gotta lay on the floor for a bit. Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	33. Adopt

The Orphans of Greenwood some called them. Even if not all of them were technically orphans. Some, like Legolas, only had one parent die. Some, like Farlen, were passed to other family members, for him personally it was to the care of his two older brothers who were more than capable of raising an astounding young elf. Somebody Thranduil was happy to have as one of Legolas' best friends.

Some, like Avaleina and Eloisa had both of their parents taken on the night of the attack. Some of the younger ones were adopted by members of the wood who loved and cared for them, some were too old and so were passed into the care of the king, trusting him to come up with a good solution to the problem.

And he had done his best.

Rooms were made for them within the mountain with plenty eyes to keep on the children. Guards who reported to the king personally made sure they were in their beds at night, Belur made sure they kept up with their studies, Galion himself insisted on making sure all of them ate proper meals. Because they lived in the mountain with Legolas and had consequently become good friends with all of them, Thranduil found himself being the one they turned to with personal problems more and more often as they ages and grew more comfortable with him and their new home.

It was Thranduil who gave them something to do with their anger, it was him who bent their focus and will into something good and strong instead of chaos. Even if that meant them training at an early age. Even if, in the long run, it made them far harder to control and far more infuriating. But perhaps, later, the best asset the wood had in the war. That had not been the intention, the intention had been to keep them forcefully out of their own swirling darkness that skulked within parts of their hearts.

Galion had never once heard him complain. Thranduil had more than enough parental speeches, concerns, advice, forcefulness and love to go around. More than Legolas could ever have need or use for. Regardless what anyone said about him.

The end result was a small band of incredibly trained and dangerous warriors with a nearly unparalleled loyalty to their king.

To say it was inspiring to the people was an understatement, even here, at the end of things.

Weeks into what might have been called a siege of Dul Guldur in a desperate attempt to contain the darkness. A siege that seemed like nothing more than constant bloodshed and exhaustion. A battle their bodies had no hope of continuing much longer, regardless of what their wills and minds wanted.

They were vicious, determined and desperate. But they were not invincible.

Galion had read tales and heard songs of great battles before, he had watched and listened to Legolas and the others discuss them to learn from the mistakes made. But they all seemed to neglect to mention the love and trust they should have had in those that led them to the end.

Because even though he could see the troubling walls of the crumbling city, could hear his kingdom somehow solving crisis after tragedy, somehow rally for every attack all Galion could feel was the love.

He wondered if Celeborn and Galadriel felt the same when they arrived, felt it when Avaleina desperately called for 'Thranduil' and not 'My King' to find him when she came sprinting into their part of the line, an expenditure of energy she couldn't afford.

He wondered if they saw the genuine panic and concern in the kings eyes at the sound of her voice, reaching to take an instinctively steadying hold of her arms the second he melted from the crowd, "Ava?"

At a loss for words or perhaps just out of breath she pointed behind her to where the Lord and Lady stood, some of their archers not far behind. Galion wondered if they saw the tenderness in which Thranduil helped her to sit on the ground in her exhaustion instead of crashing into it, or how she leaned into his legs for support, and the comforting hand he placed atop her head.

Galion wondered if they saw a father's relief in the tears that wanted to spill but never would when they offered their help.

He wondered if anyone would ever realize that the name was horribly inaccurate if not hurtful and insulting; they were obviously no longer orphans for they had been adopted by an impossibly soft heart long ago, just not by name.

…

 **I always thought of Thranduil as that one parent that knows all the gossip and problems in their child's friend group and gives them all advice and gets called 'Dad' by literally everyone but will also 10/10 kick your ass if he catches you doing something dumb at any point in time. But would also probably buy them cheap beer, let's be real.**

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	34. Bat

"Legolas Thranduilion what exactly is it that you are you doing? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

The prince froze in an unnamed combination of terror and shock, door handle still clutched tightly in one hand and an overwhelming bowl of fruit in the other, eyes wide. It was not his father the voice belonged to, he would much rather have his father yell at him. At least with that he knew what to expect, but not from her.

"Lady Celebrian! I had no idea you were here? When did you get here?"

She sat in one of the two armchairs by the window in he and his fathers shared common room, glass of wine in one hand and the other on her hip, "I got her yesterday morning, which you might have known if you bothered to stay in the stronghold longer than three hours in the dead of the night!"

He looked to his father for help who only starred on with a slightly amused and satisfied smile one his face, "We were-"

"And what is that you're eating? Is that nothing but a bowl of fruit?"

"I-"

"Is that all he's been eating Thranduil?"

"Ah yes, I forgot to inform you about my most recent discovery that I have in fact not raised a son, but a Fruit Bat."

Legolas finally released the door handle to free up the hand to try and hide the bowl behind his back, unsuccessfully, "I had nothing else I should have been doing!

Celebrian tossed some of her silver hair over her shoulder with exaggerated irritation, "That doesn't matter, you can't even be bothered to say hello to your father? All you leave him is a few cherry pits for proof of life?"

The bowl of fruit was placed rather firmly on the closest table, freeing both hands to gesture wildly with emphasis in his defense, "I did say hello! Last night when I got home, and then goodbye this morning before I left. He threw a pillow at my head!"

Celebrian glanced at her friend for confirmation, Thranduil nodded gravely, "It's true, I was actually aiming to close the door in his face but missed."

"Ah ha!" Legolas crossed his arms, "There, you see! There is nothing for you to be angry with me about!"

All the aggravated tension drained from her body and she gave him a highly amused smile, he was relieved that it had been another one of those sick jokes only she and his father found funny, "Your diet is terrible."

"My diet is perfectly acceptable for a fruit bat, thank you very much."


	35. Nightmare

The sound of his Ada's voice woke him, but not the gentle sounds of Thranduil calling softly from the doorway, or scooping him up from the bed to hum or sing a song with the birds in the morning light. Giving his beloved Greenleaf several minutes to fully wake up, still safe, snuggled and warm before starting getting him ready for the day.

This time Legolas was startled awake, his heart pounding in his chest so loud it seemed to echo in his ears. This time is his father's voice was not soft, and loving like he was used to but panicked. Scared.

Something was wrong with his Ada.

Legolas threw the covers back and struggled out of his new ( much bigger) bed, laying on his stomach he dangled his legs carefully off the edge and slipped onto the soft rug that covered the usually ice cold stone. He rushed to the open doorway but paused, staring into the impossible dark that was their home in the middle of the night after the fires went out.

He didn't like the dark, especially when he had to submerge himself into it. You never knew what was hiding in the dark waiting to gobble little elflings up for a snack. He had seen some of these creatures, the night his Nana left and had no intention nor desire to ever see them again. That was why he never left his bed at night when he needed something, he just called for Ada. And Ada would come.

In the other bedroom, across the sitting area, Thranduil made a noise that sounded nearly strangled and that was all it took to spur Legolas' feet into one of the fastest sprints they had ever accomplished. He got across the room and into the safety of his Ada's bedroom before any monsters had a chance to so much as a poke one of his toes.

He might have celebrated, but his eyes were fixed on the figure in the bed. It appeared the weird noise he had made was him waking up, still gasping for breath like he had been drowned and eyes staring emptily at the empty spot in the bed next to him.

Legolas knew the signs of a dark dream when he saw them, as he suffered from them regularly himself, but his Ada always knew what to do and say to make him feel better. He didn't know what to do. But then he noticed his Ada's tears.

Ada never cried.

His tiny feet finished their journey and came to a stop by the bed, usually, he would just climb up and plop himself down in his Ada's lap but he had been warned by Galion to be very careful not to startle him at night because then he might accidentally hurt him. He didn't like surprises, Legolas knew that unless it was a drawing or flowers or a mid-day visit.

"It's just a dark dream, Ada. It's okay." Legolas tried to say it softly but felt like he didn't do a very good job of it when his Ada jumped noticeably with a tiny gasp. "Don't cry. It's okay."

Before he knew it, warm strong hands lifted him up off the ground and onto the bed, plopping him in what used to be the spot he always wedged himself in between his parents. There had been no wedging for some time now.

Legolas looked into his father's eyes and saw his sadness, saw that the dream wasn't fading with wakefulness. They didn't always fade for him either, but his Ada would always bring him back to his own bed where he could tell him stories and tickle him until he didn't remember the dream anymore. Because Ada knew how to fix things.

He didn't know, but that didn't mean Legolas did not intend to try.

Without waiting for words or an invitation he crossed the distance between them and pulled himself onto his father's lap, wiping at every damp spot he could find in the dark, "I'm sorry I can't make it better."

He didn't say anything for a long while just wrapped Legolas in the strong arms he loved so much, holding him a close as possible without suffocating or hurting the small being. Then, after a while he kissed Legolas' head, rearranging them both so at least there was a chance of the elfling sleeping the rest of the night, "You do make it better, my little leaf. You always do." 

…

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Can't wait to hear from you!**


	36. Curfew

"You do it."

"No. You do it."

"No."

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, Ada, but you're supposed to be the responsible one here."

"Since when?"

"What do you mean since when? How about when you were crowned King?"

"Being a king and being responsible are not mutually exclusive."

"Neither is being a king and being a coward yet here we are!"

"Big words coming from an elf who also refuses the task."

"You're my Ada, should you not have some sort of instinct to protect and shelter me?"

"I'm ignoring it."

"How valliant of you."

"Thank you."

"One of us is going to have to go in eventually."

"Then feel free to go."

"No. You go."

"No."

"This is ridiculous."

"Yes, you're being ridiculous."

"Standing out here is only going to make us more tardy for our curfew."

"Was it not you that claimed at a certain point of tardiness it no longer matters to hurry?"

"We have nowhere to hurry to, we just have to open a door."

"That likely has Galion on the other side of it."

"What? Is the proud king of Greenwood the Great afraid of his own attendant?"

"When we miss our curfew I am, and if you're not you are a fool."

"So if neither of us is willing to open the door, what's our plan?"

"By chance did you forget to close your window, again?"

"Maybe."

"Because if you did then perhaps we can get into your room and try and convince him we arrived home on time."

"This is ridiculous. I am not sneaking through my own bedroom window and lie to Galion about it."

"Fine. Suit yourself, but that is exactly what I plan to do."

"Ada!"

"..."

"Wait for me!"


	37. Rage

"Legolas!"

Somebody called after him, he didn't turn to look and the roaring in his ears made it impossible to discern the voice. Even if he had known, he wouldn't have stopped. He would have ignored even his father.

It was nearly a struggle to refuse the urge to slam his fist into the nearest solid object; the only thing that kept him from doing it was the knowledge that it would most definitely break his hand in several places. And he needed both his hands to use his bow, which was important because he planned to leave at morning light to retrieve the body of a friend they had been forced to leave behind.

Even he would not attempt going into that area of the forest at nightfall, he would never risk his warriors lives like that. The only reason they had gone in the first place was to get new seeds for a flower they used in antivenom and it had cost them a life.

A life he was supposed to protect. A body he was supposed to bring back to her people, at the very least.

And he had left her.

Trusted her into the safe arms of tree roots, cradled away from the harm that had ended her life. Waiting for them to come back for her, to take her back to her mother and rest under the same tree her father was.

Unless the Orcs were feeling particularly vengeful that day and tore the tree from the ground to get at her, just to spite them. Or for sport.

The blood seemed to boil in his veins and the trees visibly shrank away from him, pulling all there branches upwards and roots lower. He was the one their king loved like no other, and so the forest did as well, but even they knew better than to attempt anything when he was like this.

An unsuspecting elf turned onto the same path that he was currently storming down, took one look at his prince, and promptly turned and entered the forest managing to disappear within a second.

Smart elf.

As a rule, Legolas did not like to be angry because any who knew him well knew that he had a temper to rival his father, it was just much harder to trigger, but much more unpredictable if you did. It was an unhelpful emotion that brought out the worst in him, and he went to great lengths to control and stifle it.

Even Galion had been known to flee from him on occasion.

Especially when it was anger like this, the same kind of anger that burned whenever he thought about his mother and the impossible darkness that stole her away. The same kind he saw burning in the eyes of the parents of the warriors that never came home. Vengeful, hateful, ugly.

Rage. Burning rage the likes of which could have burned the entire forest to cinders in seconds.

He reached the clearing that his feet had automatically taken him too, stopping at the edge stiffly when he saw his father standing to wait for him in the center. There was no crown atop his head or formal robes, in fact, he was only in simply leggings and a loose shirt.

But the look on his face told Legolas that his father had heard about what happened, and would have known exactly how Legolas felt about it even if the tree's had not told him.

He was one stray thought away from literally quaking with anger when Thranduil tossed a long and sturdy staff to him, used in training for sparring. The second it touched his hand Legolas spun it behind his back and leaped for his opponent, meaning to bring it down upon his head but was unsurprisingly blocked with expert speed.

He rolled when he hit the ground to avoid the counter-attack that was coming for him and sprung back up quickly to block yet another deadly aimed swing, "How long do you plan to do this?"

There was no possible way that his father did not have something he should have been doing, some meeting or council or reading. Something more important than his son having a tantrum in the woods.

But Thranduil was relentless, driving Legolas back a few steps with the intensity of the match, "I plan to do this until your arms are too sore for me to worry about you breaking a hand on something."

With a somewhat feral smile, Legolas returned the assault with as much force as possible, "We're going to be out here for quite some time then."

"I could use the exercise."

…

 **Thanks for all the love!**

 **Can't wait to hear from you!**


	38. Bear

When they were still novice warriors Ferdan had made them run lap after lap in the forest, forced them to run until their lungs burned and they felt as though they might be sick or were sick.

And then they ran another lap.

At the time it seemed like the cruelest thing in the world, and they had been known to fake spontaneous injuries or accidents whenever they learned they were to spend the day running. Now it seemed like one of the best things he had ever done for them.

The Woodland Realms army fully believed in the, 'live to fight another day' motto, and the ability to run away successfully was a big part of that. Eventually, the orcs or spiders would give up. They would tire.

There was a howl from behind them, much closer than Legolas would have liked. The Wargs never gave up, and the elves could not outrun them forever.

But maybe because of Ferdan, they would be able to outrun them just long enough.

Ahead of him one of his warriors stumbled or tripped, crashing into the ground harshly and Legolas desperately zagged left to haul her back to her feet before they lost the last few feet of ground they had.

There was a scream from ahead as a Warg leaped from the underbrush in front of them, another hunting pack that had heard the howls of pursuit come to join the game. With incredible teeth and a drooling maw, it took a firm hold of Tern, who had been leading them through the forest.

His hands already busy dragging the fallen warrior to her feet, Legolas had to trust that another would shoot the beast before it made off with their friend.

Thankfully, his trust was not misplaced and a perfectly aimed arrow struck through the eye, the creature died within moments. Others rushed to pull him from the mouth, two more Wargs falling dead near them in the time it took.

Already the band of elves had changed course, attempting to swerve around the new pack and continue on their way but the others had caught up. Some were forced to forgo their bows and draw knives as they beasts charged and pounced all around them. A few attempted to form a sort of protective shield around Tern and the one who carried him.

Legolas fired two arrows, both of which stopped a deadly attack aimed at his warriors but heard the cry of warning a second too late.

Something slammed into his back and threw him from his feet, landing both paws atop him with a loud 'crack.' A second later the Warg lady dead beside him.

A horrible crashing sound came from yet another direction and they all feared the worst, their situation was already dire and any more enemies would spell their doom. All of theirs

But it was not any Orcs or Wargs or even the Great Spiders. It was something much, much larger than that. The new arrival roared at the group in the clearing, and it echoed for miles around. Quite possibly to the boats of Laketown.

"Go!" Legolas shouted, as the bear charged over him swiping viciously at a Wargs face with his paw, ripping it open in four placed and gouging an eye.

The elves did not need to be told twice, and all at once they ran towards and past the bear as fast as they could, a few of them stopping to help their Prince to his feet.

Two sharing his weight between them while four others rained arrows at their attackers. The bear crushed the skull of another Warg in his mouth who thought itself fast enough to still follow the elves and then threw its body at two more, knocking them from their feet.

Turning back It roared at the elves, bearing its teeth like a dog might and stamping his foot in the dirt. Again, they didn't need to be told twice, and they turned and ran.

Ran for the perfectly huge, and welcoming home that lay nearby.

…

Legolas met their host outside when he finally returned from the woods, back in the form of a huge man instead of the bear. His back was freshly stitched from the claw wounds he hadn't felt at the time and his ribs were definitely broken. "Thank you, Beorn, and our apologies."

"There is no need for apologies, young prince, my offer of assistance and open welcome should you or your people need it was sincere." He sniffed at the air absently, probably smelling the fresh wounds, "And it did look like you needed assistance."

"Yes, we did." He was not too proud to admit it.

"I have asked a bird to bring word to your father that you are here, and will likely need assistance in returning home safely." He sat down in one of the large outdoor chairs that were perfect for stargazing, "In the meantime, you should eat your fill and get some rest. Nothing will harm you or your people in my home. I will make sure of it." 


	39. Cat

Legolas stared at the cat, so obviously thinner than it ought to be and absolutely refusing to use one of its hind legs, "What will happen to her?"

The human farmer who this particular human village deemed to speak for them shrugged nervously, eyes bouncing between Legolas, Thranduil and the few warriors they had with them,"Die, I expect. She won't let anyone near her and not for lack of trying neither."

As proof, the man displayed his arms which did have a fair many deep scratches down them, and a few others did the same. Nearby, Legolas heard his father sigh but without much conviction, "Would you mind if I try?"

A tiny girl who had been peeking carefully around the corner of a house to see the elves unbeknownst to the humans but very known by the elves dared stray from her hiding place, "Please save her! If you can."

He watched as the humans nearly cringed when his father turned his full attention to the child but she seemed completely unphased. And she had no reason to be, his father loved children. "Fear not little one, he is very good at making friends I'm sure she'll come around to his charms sooner rather than later."

Some of the warriors laughed at that, a few murmuring jokes to one another and the humans visibly relaxed. They were a relatively new settlement, as far as the elves were concerned perhaps not the humans, and so they weren't used to interacting with their Elven neighbors.

Not like Laketown or Ravenhill. It was honestly rather amusing.

"I have some smoked fish my Mama packed me for lunch if you want, Legolas." Annar offered, a young man from Ravenhill who often served as a liaison of sorts. He was one of the children that had been brought in desperation to the Elves for help when a sickness the humans could not name nor cure swept through their village.

It quickly became apparent to the Elven healers that this was no natural sickness, but some foul new idea from behind the walls of Dul Guldur. The healers had written to Elrond in Imladris to ask for help or suggestions when they ran out of ideas but not determination. They had cured them, down to the last child. However, some, like Annar, had stayed within their care for many months.

Legolas and his friends had  
spent many, many free afternoons and evenings with the children. Playing, reading, or just holding them like the parents who were not allowed to see them would have done.

It was why they often brought some of the now near adults with them to visit other villages, they hoped it was harder to be afraid of them with Annar still perched happily on the kings Elk munching on the treats the warriors had snuck him from the kitchen.

"Actually yes, that would be wonderful."

The boy scrambled for his bag while Thranduil turned his attention to his son, whose entire (admittedly fragile) focus was now on the injured animal, "I take it you'll remain here until we're done?"

Legolas briefly flashed a bright smile, looking completely unashamed, "Yes."

"Thought so."

…

Thranduil's study door was pushed open a slight amount, just enough to admit a small cat. She was much plumper than when they had first found her, although now she missed one leg from infection.

It had not been even one hour before Legolas had rejoined their group in the village all those months ago, a content but still wary cat purring in his arms.

She looked up at the King of the Woodland Realm and meowed louder than should have been possible, he turned his attention to her with a raised eyebrow, "Yes?"

With more grace than any three-legged cat should have been able to muster, she leaped from the ground and onto the desk, swiping at the papers in Thranduil's hand. "Really?"

She meowed again, and bumped her head against his now empty hand, "Oh you think so, do you."

She looked at him with those impossibly soft, round, and sometimes loving eyes. Wandering on top of the paper mound and taking a seat on it, and then laid down.

"I am very busy you know." She just blinked at him slowly, a purr rumbling on her throat as the proud Elven King obeyed her commands lifting her from the desk go his lap where he could idly stroke her head while he worked.

"We can't let Legolas find us like this, he would never let me forgot it. "

As a response she just rubbed her head against his hand in protest at its temporary stillness, purring once more when it began to scratch behind her ear.

"Not that you care." 


	40. Waves

**And so our additional 10 (ish) days together comes to an end and I bid you all farewell, and wrote this SUPER angsty final chapter**

 **Just a heads up.**

 **I hope to make you cry.**

… **.**

The sound of the waves crashed behind them, the tide would be going out soon. They had arrived early in the morning but not even Gimli had managed to convince Legolas to actually get on the boat, but now he would have no choice. "I don't want to leave."

"I know," Thranduil would have held Legolas tighter if he was physically able.

He was crying and shaking and there was nothing Thranduil could do to help his son, not anymore. "Ada I can't."

Thranduil had tried everything anybody could possibly think of but it didn't work, not enough. He would fade if he stayed, potentially within the upcoming weeks and they both knew it. Even if he stayed a few more years, it would not be a life he was willing to let Legolas live out.

"But you have to."

Legolas has walked to the very gates of Mordor with not even five hundred men, he had fought for hundreds of years before that in a forest most only saw in nightmares, he ran through a burning forest alone before he could even read. But the prospect of sailing across the sea and away from his only parent was the scariest thing he had ever faced.

"Don't make me go."

And now he was crying, "My little leaf."

"Ada please." Thranduil had never heard him sound like this, never. Not after the night, he lost his mother, not after any of the horrifying things that haunted his dreams, not after the war.

And then he was pulling away, forcing his little leaf away.

Using every single inch of willpower had not to just board the boat with his son and the dwarf, but he couldn't. The Greenwood would crumble if he left, they had fought too long for that. Placing both hands on Legolas' face he kissed his forehead and then rested his own against it, "I will be there soon."

Gimli was taking Legolas' hand, "Come, Lad."

But Legolas pulled back, much weaker than any elf had a right to be, "No."

Thranduil had always thought the dwarf a callous creature when they first met, regardless of what his son ever said. Legolas would be able to befriend a rabid Dragon if he put enough effort into it.

He had since observed otherwise.

After the death of Aragorn, Gimli returned home but once to say a final goodbye. After the funeral he never once left his friends side, living with the elves of Greenwood until this final day.

The day when Thranduil was finally forced to pass the keeping of his son to another.

The worst day of his life.

Gently but sternly Gimli took both of Legolas' hands, "Now you listen to me, you absurd elf. We have talked about this before on the day you asked me to come with you. Do you remember that?"

Elrond had warned him what ignoring the Sea Longing too long might do to him, to his mind. Legolas had always been distracted but more often of late he just seemed absent, forgetful. Never once had Gimli lost his temper with him, did not even raise a voice.

"You told me that when the time came you wouldn't want to leave. You made me promise that I would make you come, and that is exactly what I intend to do."

Legolas turned sad and tired eyes down to his friend, his voice held no life but sometimes it was just a victory to get him to say anything, "I remember. You burnt our dinner."

Somehow, Gimli managed a smile, "Yes, I did." He cast a glance behind Legolas' shoulders briefly where Thranduil still stood, looking like he might explode or be sick with the effort of holding himself together.

They had talked about this day too, the dwarf and the king. Because they needed to work together if they had any hope of getting Legolas onto the boat without drugging or knocking his head in and dragging him on.

Thranduil's only job was to hold himself together long enough for his son not to be able to hear or see him. A job that neither had been completely certain he was capable of at the time.

"I know this is terrifying, I know. But we will do this together, just like was have done everything else. Okay?" Legolas made as if he were going to turn and look to his father, but Gimli tugged on his hands again, "Okay?"

Still shaking, Legolas gave the slightest of nods, "Okay."

Then he was in his father's arms again, one last time. "I love you, my little leaf, my Legolas. I love you so much. You will be okay. Everything will be okay, I will force it to be so."

"I love you, Ada. Please hurry. Please. You have to."

Gimli was pulling him away again, and Thranduil had to let him. He had to let go. "I will. I swear to you."

Then he was gone. Sailing away.

Somehow, Thranduil managed to stand stock still on the shoreline until the boat was out of view, and then with an anguished cry the likes of which Arda would never forget he collapsed to the sand, heartbroken.

 **…**

Thoughts?

Tissues?


	41. Different

They were different people; the Prince and Legolas. It hadn't always been so, but in the end it was the way things needed to be.

Legolas was known for his laughter most of all, so loud it had a habit of echoing down the long hallways of their home, so loud his father was often able to track him by it. it. Even if he was not talking he was never still, always there was something to investigate or watch or listen to. He was impossibly empathetic and would try to brighten anyone's day that needed it, and was the only one with the talent to make Thranduil smile with only a look, and laugh with only one word. He liked to sing, dance and play with his friends. He liked to go for long walks with his father, speak with the forest and watch the stars. He was happy, almost always, and willing to give anything a fair shot at friendship. Legolas was in love; with life, friends, family, but least obviously but perhaes most importantly with an Elleth.

The Prince was known for his deadly aim both with a blade and a bow, with archers so loyal they would listen and obey even a whispered command. He was as still as stone, an important skill in order to masquerade as a 'lifeless' branch of the tree's that held him. Sometimes, he appeared so cold he might as well have been stone. Sometimes, it was the only way to stay strong enough to get everyone else to safety, regardless of their wounds, terror, or mourning grief. Always, it was the only way to deliver the killing shot to an elf who was too far gone with the enemy to save. Only the cold detachment allowed him to uphold that horrible promise. He was brave, inspiring, and more determined than what might be good for him. He told every single elf, personally, of their loss. He did not trust anything he did not know. Nothing, and nobody could come before his kingdom.

They were different people; the King and Thranduil. That's how it had always been, the moment the crown came to rest upon his head.

The King was known above all else for being strong; stronger than the evil that took his father, stronger than the grief and troubles that landed upon him like the mountain they lived beneath, stronger than the indifference of their 'allies.' Always stronger than the forces against them. No matter the tide of troubles that came for the wood elves, the King always stood before them, shielding and diverting the rushing waters. He was stubborn and quick to anger, full of words that could cut deeper than any sword and a mind just as sharp. He felt too much, at times seeming to burn with it. Tree's spoke to him more than his elves did, so connected at times it seemed they breathed together. He was somehow more wild and unpredictable than the twisted forest within him and around them, it was the only way.

Thranduil was known above all else for his deep and unconditional love. often mentally associated with the one vow Mereneth made on their wedding day: "being loved by you is to feel warmer and more important than the sun, and I hope to make you feel the same." He was patient, kind, and willing to do nearly anything to help those he cared for. His son meant more to him than the air he breathed, and it showed every time Thranduil looked upon him. He was soft, steadfast, and impossibly welcoming. There was no amount of anger in the world that would convince him to turn on the ones he loved, and nothing to convince him to leave or ignore a problem.

They were a good team.

The Prince and the King, Legolas and Thranduil.

The Prince was silent while the King was deafening, the Prince was quick to act while the King carefully considered options. The Prince kept their home stable, while the King put on a ferocious face for their enemies. The King could not care about each individual, but the Prince ensured they were not forgotten. The Prince was the ice to the Kings fire.

Legolas was the light that brightened the darkened parts of Thranduil's wounded heart, and Thranduil was the patients Legolas needed to feel truly understood and listened to. Thranduil reminded Legolas that not everyone was worthy of the love in his heart, for there are only so many pieces of it to give while Legolas reminded Thranduil that there were always others to find that deserved a piece. Legolas gave Thranduil joy and laughter, while Thranduil brought him peace and reassurance. Thranduil was the calm to Legolas' storm.

They were different people, but made for one another.

...

 **Thank you so much for reading! This was in honor of Candian Thanksgiving to thank each and everyone one of you for all your love and support.**

 **Thank you!**


	42. Big

Frodo had learned from Bilbo long before he had ever met an elf that they oft were much more than they seemed, which was troubling to some perhaps since most already seemed too grand to begin with. Legolas, he knew was no different.

He was very good at appearing smaller than he was, something hobbits know a great deal about. Perhaps Frodo only noticed this because he already knew a great deal about the prince from his uncle before they had met in Rivendell, but he noticed it nonetheless.

Frodo knew about Mirkwood and the darkness faced there, he had learned about the long duration of the war but not many specifics. Legolas was a warrior prince of the realm, doubtless, he could lead them just as well as Gandalf yet he never challenged decisions, but offered himself mostly as a scout. A task Frodo was certain was far beneath his usual ones.

He did not brag like some in the fellowship, he did not tell them long-winded stories of which he was the star heroic hero, he did not even regale the others with the glory of his kingdom. In fact, he had never actually heard any mention of him being a prince and captain nor even that his father was a king from Legolas himself.

Even knowing all of that he was still certain that Legolas was still more than even Frodo could guess. perhaps any here.

The ring was louder when it knew there were others around to hear it. The most restful times in the day were late at night when most were asleep, or when he wandered far enough from the rest the ring knew they could not be affected.

He knew that the elf was greater than he seemed because on nights such as these when everyone had long since fallen asleep and Legolas took a majority of the watches the ring was silent. It never once tried to whisper its promises to the ear one might think would hear it best.

In fact, it almost felt like the ring shrank back into itself more when in the elves personal company. It had been something Frodo had been pondering over for some time now.

Slowly, the hobbit got to his feet and approached his new friend where Legolas sat in a patch of moonlight, enjoying his own company.

Legolas watched him approach with unblinking eyes. The ring was warm against him usually, nearly painfully warm at times, but it slowly grew cooler, "Do you feel that?" Frodo asked very softly when he finally sat on the ground. He wanted to see if Legolas would know what he was talking about without specifics.

His uncle had always been fond of riddles too.

"I feel many things."

 _They will say both yes and no._

"Do you hear that?"

Legolas tilted his head to the side very slightly, and Frodo wondered if he was actually listening for something. "I hear a herd of deer who think I do not know they are there, I hear some birds starting to stir for the day and I can hear the dwarf snoring." Straightening his head again he offered Frodo a small but kind smile, "But I also know there are many things I am not hearing that I usually do."

So he knew, then.

Talking about the ring in specifics seemed like it would bring its attention.

"Why? Even Gandalf hears I think."

Legolas nodded, "He does."

"Then why not you?"

"I hear but I do not listen." As if it were that easy. Frodo's disappointment must have shown on his face because Legolas continued, "At a certain point there is only so many times he can do something and expect a different outcome. We know each other, and we do not like each other."

Frodo blinked at him, but Bilbo had the ring since he found it in the goblin tunnels that made no sense, how could Legolas know it too? Again, Legolas must have sensed the questions because thankfully he did not have to ask them. "You know who made it. Who do you think has been invading my home? They are not together, but they are connected. If I was going to heed his words I would have done long, long ago. The voice is louder in the tree's, like the stones of his foul home chant them."

Frodo wondered briefly if that was what had disorientated his uncle and the dwarves so much, the forceful whispers. The ones you never noticed the words to without really, really focusing. The ones you felt in your soul and your emotions before you even noticed they were there.

"The power does not bother you?"

That was its trick. It could be powerful beyond anybody dreams. It could be. It could be used for good in this war to great effect. If Boromir thought it could save Gondor, then it could definitely save Greenwood just as well. Especially with a King so strong to wield it. And Legolas has been fighting for Greenwood since before Boromir's grandfather had even been born.

"No, because I know it is not power that it offers. But corruption. I have seen what his touch as done to my forests and I have no intention of letting the same thing happen to my mind or body." He was silent then, but an unfinished sort of silent. The kind that was at the end of some of his favorite novels, the ones that demanded he read the next.

"I have seen that, too. I have felt it, in part."

Legolas sat completely still and cross-legged in the waning moonlight, he should have been one of the smallest things in the clearing, yet Frodo had never seen someone appear so big before. Not even Gandalf, and certainly not any of the trees around him.

"I do not often offer advice, but I do offer you this: Remind yourself of the good, day and night. Remind yourself that the way a flower blooms is beautiful, that the sun is warm, that your friends love you. Think of your home, and if you find yourself thinking of nothing think of something good. The moments you are not watching are the moments it will try its hardest."

By the fir,e there was a rustling noise, the sounds of Araognr stirring awake probably because he had heard voices. Frodo glanced behind him briefly and when he looked back Legolas just smiled at him, every inch of largeness about him safely packed away in whatever box or pocket he kept it in. "You should try and get some sleep, it will be a long walk today.

…

 **I'm back in school and its hard to have time to write.**

So i'm going to try and write and post something here every weekend; mostly for my own sanity. I can't wait to see you all there!


	43. Six

There was a knock at the door, Thranduil did not need the wooden doors to tell him that it was Legoals because he was possibly the only one left in Arda that would knock on his door in such a manner. "Yes?"

The door thrust itself open with the same force the knock had come from, and as expected Legolas came in. "Are you busy?" His voice sounded like the knock, abrupt but retrained.

Thranduil folded his hands on top of the paper he had been writing, "Not currently, no."

Legolas did not sit, he had too much energy in him to sit, and so he stood where he had room to gesture wildly, as he was known to do. "I just need to say six things."

"That's very exact."

"Yes."

"Go ahead."

Legolas crossed his arms, for lack of a better activity, "One, Ava is being completely ridiculous and she still won't talk to me even though I have apologized no less than eleven times. I know she's stubborn but this is absurd! What else am I supposed to do?"

Without taking a breath Legolas unfolded his arms and continued, "Two, Ferdan put me and Marlern on the same patrol, so I have that too look forward to! One of use isn't going to make it back Ada, and it's going to be him. And I don't even feel bad!"

His arms flung outwards in exasperation, "Three, Elladan and Elrohir have decided to go to Lorien this summer instead of visiting us and I know it's their family, and family is important but I was really looking forward to seeing them! And I don't even think they care!"

Sometimes Thranduil wondered at his sons lung capacity.

His arms continued to flail around, "Four, Caramis keeps asking for my opinion on things and then ignoring literally every single part of it! What's the point in asking then! Just do what you want go do and let me leave then! I don't want to be here! Leave me alone!"

He crossed his arms again, "Five, It's been raining for eleven days straight and I want to go outside I miss the sun and the birds. Don't get me wrong, I love making friends with salamanders as much as the next elf but I want my sunshine back!"

Finally he took a breath.

"Six, sometimes I really, really hate being a Prince because now I have to go back to a truly excruciatingly long meeting with Caramis and everyone else I don't like pretend like I don't want to strangle them all with their own circular arguments!"

He threw his arms out again, "And do you want to move the worse part?"

"I thought you only had six things to say?" Seeing that his joke was clearly not getting the recognition it deserved Thranduil cleared his throat slightly, "What is the worst part, my Greenleaf?"

"I spent two minutes of our ten minute break running here so I could scream to you about my problems, and I don't even feel any better!'

Not waiting for a response, Legolas made for the door, presumably to sprint back at high velocities to a meeting.

"Good luck!" Thranduil called a second before the door slammed closed again.

.o.o.o..o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o..o.o.o.o.

Thanks for reading! Can't wait to hear from you!


	44. Self-Restraint

Thranduil watched as his son walked a very, very thin line. Admittedly, Legolas was the one who had put the line there in the first place and had he been asked, Thranduil would be unable to say exactly where the line laid.

But it was certainly not on the side of Avaleina's hip where Legolas's hand currently rested.

Self - restraint had always been one of Legolas' son's strong suits, but love was hard to restrain from. Even for the Prince of it.

They had slipped before, and they would probably slip several more times before this cursed war ended. Sometimes Legolas told him, sometimes he did not. Sometimes Thranduil saw them, curled up in the same bed in the healer's ward trying to lose their nightmares in one another, or sitting tucked under the tree's where almost none would see them trading whispers, laughs and probably more than a few kisses.

Even if he had not seen (and never commented) on the other things, Thranduil would definitely have noticed the weaved bow strings tied around Ava's finger over twenty years ago. It was on the correct finger, but wrong hand.

Not that it changed the promise.

Thranduil wasn't an idiot, and certainly, Legolas knew that sooner or later he would notice the 'ring.' He had tapped it, once, a week after he noticed it. Neither had ever said anything about it and so neither had he.

Legolas was good at talking but not always at accurately expressing, and so many things went largely unspoken about if the topic was highly emotional. It had always been that way.

Thranduil had tried to go convince Legolas away from his line, convince him it didn't need to exist, that he could be happy. Happier, anyway. At least he would not be so lonely.

Part of it was out of selfishness because it hurt his heart deeply to see his beloved Greenleaf suffering the same abscess as him. To feel the same pain that sometimes just felt like numbness.

Legolas had said only one thing to him in reply, and the emotion in his voice had kept Thranduil from ever trying to sway him again: "And if she dies, what then? What will I do?"

It was dangerous to love that deeply in this forest. Especially dangerous for two captains who faced evil day in and day out.

It hurt to not love the one you wanted especially when they were so close, but it might be the death of Legolas if he loved and lost.

Thranduil watched as they left their cluster of archers to frolic in the treeline and joined those dancing in the field around the fire. They were beautiful to watch dance, they were beautiful to watch do many things together. He missed when it wasn't uncommon to see Legolas smile like that.

Tonight, it seemed that Legolas had left his self-restraint crown in his room.

Walking close together, but not touching, they disappeared into the trees. He could not blame them, it was hard to resist during such hard times.

….

Legolas returned, alone, a few hours later. On his way to where Thranduil still sat at the table they had used for their celebration feast Legolas smoothly snagged an entire bottle of wine from a table.

Without a word he threw himself into the chair beside his father, carelessly pulling the cork out of wine with his teeth and tossing it onto the table. He didn't bother with a glass.

"That's going to hurt in the morning," Thranduil commented, not looking at Legolas because he knew that the knowing sorrow in his own eyes might erode Legolas composure; his son had already had a fair amount to drink for the night.

Legolas took another long drink, perhaps trying to fill the void. "Yes."

Neither of them was talking about the hangover.

Silently, Legolas tipped the bottle towards his father in a silent offering. Thranduil accepted, and also did not bother with a glass. 

…

 **Thanks you for reading i hope you enjoyed and I can't wait to hear from you!**


	45. Kitchen

Orbryn heard the familiar sound of a babies crying wail echoing down the stairwell leading to the kitchen long before he was even close to them himself.

Familiar because of his younger siblings, not because this was a normal sound to be heard from the kitchen.

Curiosity getting the best of him, he hurried down the steps to the warm kitchen below, stopping in surprise at the bottom when he saw the king and his very young son. Very young.

He had never seen the king so close before, hardly seen him at all in fact since he had returned from the war.

And now they were alone in the massive kitchen together.

Apparently, the king had been singing to the little prince the kingdom had met only a month ago but he stopped when Orbryn reached the bottom stairs, "Forgive me, I did not realize the time."

Orbryn could not make his body do anything other than blink dumbly and stutter, "Your majesty?"

The king seemed almost as confused, "I did not realize that you would be starting soon, I would not like a screaming baby in my office while I was trying to work I would imagine you would not like one in your kitchen while you work."

His brain was doing no better at controlling the rest of him, "He's the prince."

"He is." The king glanced down adoringly, "But a screaming baby is a screaming baby."

His big brother instincts came to life before any other part of him, "You should give him some wine on a napkin, it'll help him sleep. It's his teeth."

"Pardon?"

And then a heavy, cold dose of fear washed over him, "I have four younger siblings, my mother did it all of the time, I apologi-"

The king shook his head slightly, "Show me if you would."

"Certainly." Quickly he found an opened bottle of wine and poured some onto the corner of a clean napkin, hesitantly he approached the prince and allowed his tiny hands to grab at the fabric. As expected, the immediately put the wet end in his mouth as babes were known to do.

Half an hour later, the king was wishing him a good evening on his way to put his newly sleeping son to bed, just in time for sunrise.

 **...oooooooooooooooo...**

Orbryn had been curious about who the mysterious owners of the teacups were, the ones that appeared sometime in the dead of night, every night, without fail for over a year now. Sometimes there were three, but usually only two neatly stacked and rinsed cups waited for him in the basin of water.

Perhaps he should have guessed.

Inside, nestled on the ground and rocking softly with a half-asleep elfling in his lap was the king. One hand ran through the small one's hair while the other held open a book, on the table in front of them were two teacups yet come to their nightly resting place.

 **...oooooooooooooooo...**

He saw the little hand moments before he successfully snagged a fresh pastry, the ones meant for the celebration tonight. "Ah!" Orbryn barked, and the hand froze.

Two huge eyes were just barely tall enough to peer at him over the top of the counter, round and wanting. Orbryn smiled, "Take two, just don't tell your father."

In a flash and grin, the prince was scrambling back up the steps with his prize.

 **...ooooooooooooo...**

There was a small and gentle tug on his sleeve, and he had to admit it was starting. He was used to Legolas running around underfoot, but never this early. And if it was, that meant the king was still up with him from the night.

But this time it was Galion with him and immediately Orbryn knew there was some sneaking around going on.

Legolas held out a bowl of fresh strawberries, enough that it probably would have taken a few hours of searching at this time of year, "Ada isn't feeling very happy, can you put these in his breakfast this morning? They're his favorite."

"Of course."

... **ooooooooooooo...**

"It was amazing, Ada!"

Orbryn smiled a little to himself as he began peeling potatoes, he wished everyone was as enthusiastic about life as Legolas.

"Yes, it certainly sounds it! I'm glad you had fun."

He also wished everyone was as earnest in listening to their children as Thranduil.

 **...oooooooooooooo...**

So many of their children had not fallen and left for the halls since they left their last home.

Silently and without being asked Orbryn refilled their wine cups and added a few more logs to the fire they both sat in front of. They had not said anything, not even to each other since he had arrived.

 **...ooooooooooooooo...**

The kitchen already smelled like delicious food when he opened the last door, "Isn't it a bit early for breakfast?"

Legolas smiled and quickly swallowed his mouthful of eggs, (Thranduil's specialty) "I'm leaving at sunrise again, we wanted to have one last breakfast together before I left.

 **...oooooooòoo...**

It was a long time since his kitchen was last this crowded at such a time, but of the thirteen occupants only two remained awake and looking over one of the dozen maps spread around them.

"I think that is enough for now, my leafling."

It had been m

onths since Legolas was allowed out of bed, and had only just recently been moved to his own room and out from under the watchful eye of the healers.

"Just one more."

The counters made a good support for teaching legs to walk again.

 **...ooooooo...**

"What is it?"

Orbryn looked down at the basin, at the sight that had become the norm for the last century and a half, "I did not know how sad finding only one single dirty teacup in my sink could make my heart, until this war."

 **...ooooooooo...**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	46. Boo

He felt the eye upon him, the gaze almost as hot as lava.

 _It had been a desperate mission._

It knew him.

 _He left the rest of his patrol behind; it was only him that needed to be this close to the tainted wall. To the tainted presence, the one ruled them._

It remembered.  
 _  
A desperate shot hit its mark, right between the eyes. The elf, his friend, died instantly._

Good.

 _Legolas knew that_ _ **He**_ _was watching, the one that the other Elven realms was insisted dead._

That was good.

 _"I'll come for you. One day, I will see to your destruction."_

"Hello."

 _He heard the source of all this heartache. He heard the promise. The threat_

He could feel Gimli looking at him, questioning who he was talking. That didn't matter, not right now. What mattered was that he heard.

 _Legolas ran then, his mission complete and resolve more determined than ever._

But he heard; the Eye heard everything.

 _He would come. He would see to Saurons death. He would._

"Boo."

 _This world was not big enough for the two of them._


	47. Gladiator

The sword was flung from one's hand and landed several feet away; the top of the others rested in the hollow of his neck. Both froze.

"Dead."

The small crowd of clustered elves cheered, and the opponent holding the sword dropped it with a laugh, offering the other a hand up. The loser returned to the crowd with a well-meaning threat of a rematch.

Oropher had to admit he was curious; there was enough of them in training clothes that it was obvious this had been a training session at some point. Yet this was the third sparring match in a row he had seen the blond elf win with someone who was obviously not apart of the training group.

There was something about him that reminded him painfully of his son, Thranduil, who as far as Oropher was able to tell was still alive in Arda somewhere. Alive with a son of his own. A son who had succeeded where he himself had failed to save Arda from the treachery of the ring and its master.

It was hard to imagine Thranduil with a son of his own; he had been so young during the Battle of the Last Alliance.

"Who's next to die?" The elderly dwarf asked, the very one he had been trying his best to ignore. There was a reason he did not often come to this side of the island. Besides the fact it was populated largely with the Feanoriens and the like.

The only reason he was here now was that he had accompanied a friend to get smithing help from Celebrimbor.

The rest of the crowd seemed to like the dwarf though and they all laughed heartily, and another emerged from the crowd to fight the tall, strong elf in the center. This match did not last much longer than the last before another calm and even:

"Dead."

Rang out across the silent space.

A warrior this good was not just from practice, but necessity. Oropher had seen elves like this before, they were the most dangerous kind of opponent to face. Because often they were taught to survive and learning to fight, and to fight well, was only part of the numerous teaching that came with that.

He had to admire the strength in which the elf had been raised, whoever had raised him.

At first, he assumed it was perhaps another son of Elrond's' he did not know about, this was technically his land after all and there was a rumor that he there had been three sons for a time in Imladris. It would make sense.

But now that he had seen the twin sons with his own eyes, there was no way the three had been raised by the same hand.

"Dead."

There was a quality about this gladiator that also reminded Oropher of his Silvan elves, with their quick laughs and chaotic minds. There was also an air of mischief or wildness about the victor that Oropher had never seen among the Noldor before.

The blond flung his opponent's sword into the branches of an overhead tree with the tip of his own, and help his hand expectantly outwards to the right. Oropher watched as the branches seemed to take a moment to aim before releasing it back again.

"That's cheating!" The one on the ground yelled, one of Elrond's twins.

He had also never seen a tree have such a strong connection to any but a Silvan before, especially not one so strong.

The one still standing just laughed even more merrily, if possible and the branches shook above him as the tree joined in with his joy. "I would have won anyway."

"That doesn't make it not cheating."

"I never said it did," He might have said more, but the one twin scrambled to his feet and ran headfirst for his middle, tackling him to the ground.

Oropher decided it was time to check and see if his friend was finished with their work yet, and turned away from the crowd, ignoring the continued cheers from them.


	48. Buried-Alive

Somebody was dragging him back ward across the forest floor, the fall leaves slick with blood made it difficult. They had about five seconds before the orcs came over the hill and saw them, and it was imperative that they did not see the hatch.

He heard it thud open as somebody else said the password.

Four seconds.

They managed to lift him into the dark hole in the earth with surprising tenderness. Five of them already waited inside.

Three seconds.

They had to close the hatch door. They had to wait for the rest of them. They did not leave people behind.

Two seconds.

There more elves fell inside, all as wounded as the other waiting within.

"Now." Somebody asked the tree's and the enchanted wood snapped shut. Rustling overhead told them that the roots had covered them with leaves.

One second.

The heavy thundering of uncaring feet shook the earth around them. And then over top.

They all held their breath as the darkness washed over them. Waited to see if they had pulled it off.

Waited to see if they were about to be hunted from their den like helpless rabbits. Because with so many of them so badly injured, they were helpless.

But the feet continued to thunder over them. The start of a brutal attack they had been able to properly warn their king about.

Silently, those that were still somewhat able to move set to helping to bind and treat the other's wounds.

When she was done the bandages on his chest she collapsed into the dirt next to him, her forehead pressed against his shoulder, a non-lethal but painful poison boiling in her veins.

Time passed.

Two of them were escorted to the halls, the last thing their eyes seeing nothing but darkness. His hand gripped her wrist, a thumb pressed against her pulse point.

So he knew she hadn't left him. Not yet.

Even Elves are not immune to bleeding out.

Time passed.

The swelling darkness above them didn't seem to be slowing in the slightest, and the thundering feet seemed endless. Most of them were not conscious to hear it.

But their troubled minds felt it, even in their oblivion.

Time passed.

Her wrist twisting in his grasp jerked him back to their tortured darkness.

"I'm here."

He whispered, his voice hardly existent even if he wanted it to be louder. She kissed his shoulder and pressed her face against it, her forehead still burning.

Time passed.

His hands grew colder, and his heart beat slower. Tired. So tired.

Time passed.

Another one drifted away, all their lifeblood soaked into the earth and roots that cradled them.

They all silently agreed there were worse places to die.

They would have all rather die in the dark and the dirt than be found and captured by the enemy.

Her heart still beat, very slowly, but it beat.

Time passed.

It was the screaming of elves that woke him, not underground in their dark prison like he expected them to be. Not a scream of pain or fear, but of rage. Pure and unadulterated rage.  
A war cry.

A cry of desperation.

Time passed.

The hatch above them thunked open as somebody on the other side said the password. The first light they had seen since they fell into their sanctuary turned grave spilled in. A few of them stirred, most did not.

Bue eyes turned a blurry vision to the door, where a golden head framed with tears and distress glowed prominently. For the first time since the darkness had enclosed around them, he felt comfort

His father's broken voice filled the silent and dark expanse, "Oh, Legolas."

Her heartbeat still fluttered under his thumb.

Time passed.

He didn't need to open his eyes to know that he was no longer in their underground sanctuary turned grave. Sunlight glowed a bright red even through his closed eyelids.

He could not feel her pulse.

His eyes flew open against his own will, squinting and watering in the morning sunlight, desperately searching for the face of the one he loved.

"She's okay."

The voice was soft, loving, and both his blankets and his hair were slightly adjusted. There was a creak as someone sitting in an old chair changed the way they sat in it.

His empty-spaced between his fingers were filled with his fathers, and he clenched onto them tightly, craving the contact he thought he would never see again. Slowly, and carefully of his many injuries muscles he turned his head to where his father sat in a chair between him and his beloved.

One hand of his holding each of theirs.

"I'm sorry it took so long to get you."

His voice sounded hardly better than when he promised he had yet to leave her here on this earth without him, "Doesn't matter."

"Yes it-"

"Just matters that you got there."

His father pressed a loving kiss to his forehead, a tear leaving a drop of wetness on his forehead. "You need rest."

Time passed.

It was the middle of the night the next time he woke, the shadows form the moon casting long and intimidating shadows.

He glanced to the bed next to him, finding her eyes open and staring at the ceiling. Surprisingly, his father was nowhere to be seen. Ther must have been and emergency that needed his attention. Otherwise, he would have still been here.

"Ava?" Her head turned to the side, and her eyes warm with tears the second they met him. Scared, alone, in pain. "Come here."

Carefully she clambered out of her bed and he delicately moved himself to the very far right of his bed, and she slipped into the left.

His chest still ached with the wound and the poison, but for the first time, a sense of warmth touched it as her arm carefully and delicately snaked across his chest, pulling herself closer to him.

The darkness pressed in around them, but the candles kept their waking nightmares from before form touching their dreams.

 **O.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

Hello!

I've almost finished my list of one word prompts. So, if you want, when you leave a review, leave a ONE WORD prompt for me for next chapter.

I'll add them all to a random selection generator.

If none of you want to leave a suggestion, that okay, I'll find prompts other places.

Can't wait to hear your thoughts, I'll see you next weekend!


	49. Questions

"Ada?"

"Yes, my Greenleaf?"

"Why is the sky blue?"

"Because it's Eru's favorite color."

"Oh. Is that why the ocean is blue? I've heard it's blue."

"Yes, that's why it's blue."

"Have you ever seen the sea, Ada?"

"Yes, I have."

"Is it blue?"

"Yes."

"Is it a nice blue?"

"Yes."

"Ada?"

"Yes, my Greenleaf?"

"If blue is Eru's favorite color, why are we not blue?"

"He already made the sky and the sea blue, there has to be some other colors in the world. Otherwise, we cannot appreciate each one properly."

"Oh. Ada, what's your favorite color?"

"Green."

"Green is a nice color."

"Yes, I think so too."

"My favorite colors is yellow. Not like my hair, like a flower."

"Yellow is a very nice color, too."

"Does everybody have a favorite color?"

"I imagine so."

"Ada?"

"Yes, Greenleaf?"

"Why can't Elladan and Elrohir talk to the trees?"

"That sounds like something you could ask the trees."

"I did, they said they do not notice them the same way."

"Then there is your answer."

"Ada?"

"Yes, Legolas?"

"Do you think I will ever meet an Ent? Galion is reading a story to me and there are Ents and he says that they are still alive."

"Perhaps one day."

"Have you ever met an Ent, Ada?"

"No, I haven't."

"Do you want to?"

"They are too far to travel too."

"That isn't an answer to my question."

"Yes, it would be an amazing experience."

"We could invite them here, that way, we wouldn't have to leave. They like forests, and ours is a very nice forest."

"The idea has its merits, but I do not think there is a way to send a message to them. I'm honestly not sure we even speak the same language."

"Ada?"

"Yes?"

"Why don't you talk to Lord Elrond and Lord Celeborn very much?"

"Because they don't like me."

"Why not?"

"They think I'm mean."

"Well that is very mean of them to say so, you are very nice. The nicest."

"Thank you, sunshine. But I know I can be mean sometimes, and Lord Elrond has always been a good judge of character."

"Apparently not. Ada?"

"Mhmm?"

"If they do not like you, does that mean they do not like me?"

"No. They liked you very much, and were sincere in the offer to allow you to stay a summer when you are older."

"Okay. Ada?"

"Oh, good! You're here!"

"Come, little prince, let's go read a book where we can watch the rain."

"The one with the Ents?"

"Yes, the one with the Ents."

"Galion, what is your favorite color?"

The door closed before he heard the answer, and finally, there was silence.

 **...**

 **Thank you for all the prompts left, you're welcome to keep them coming :)**

 **Can't wai to hear your thoughts**


	50. Train

Thranduil wandered into the center of the training field where Ferdan stood staring at the far end of the woods expectantly.

The summer heat was in full effect, and so the instructor stood bare cheated and unconcerned about his labyrinthine of scars.

"When did they start?"

"An hour before sunrise."

Thranduil let out a loud, low whistle. "I hope you do not plane to train them again tomorrow, for i fear there will be nothing of the elflings left to train."

"That depends on how long they last today."

He cast his eyes around the training field once more, taking in the many complex and tiring obstacles set up to exhaust every part of their body.

"Running the north loop?" The long one that crossed rivers, up sides of cliffs and one swamp. The trail not so much a trail but a hint a deer had once come that way several years before, and Ferdan expected it to remain as such.

"Of course."

Ferdan did not train warriors for battle, he trained assassin's, rouges, and archers to survive until the bitter end of time.

Warriors were useless to him. Warriors could do only one thing. But if he managed to train them for many things all at once, the possibilities were endless.

"Poor things."

O9o9o9ooo9o

The sky glowed in pinks and purples, lighting the faces of the elves who had come to watch now that the days work was over.

It was a common pastime in Greenwood, to watch Ferdan torture his warriors.

At the far end of the field Legolas burst from the trees, Farlen not far behind. They both started the obstical course to the music of rousing cheers from the spectators.

Not long after came Avaleina and Eloassia, their shorter legs making it difficult to keep up with the other two.

The most motivated four. The most angry. The ones who had lost the most, too young.

Ferdan got up from the chair that had been brought out for him to sit and rest his mangled left leg, the twin to the one Thranduil had settled in.

"Is that an arm I see shaking, Legolas?" He bellowed, stalking back and forth across where the four of them continued the course.

"No, Sir!"

It was.

Thranduil couldn't blame him.

"Are you tired, princling?"

"No, Sir!"

It was clear to see he was exhausted.

"Then I expect you to go faster!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Somehow, he did. And Ferdan moved to 'motivate' another.

The four has already vanished back into the trees when the next thick cluster of warriors entered, "Your Prince has already come and gone! Do you plan to never be able to keep up with him?"

Various "No, Sirs!" could be heard from the cluster.

"Then I plan to see that in your actions! Go, Go, go, go!"

09090909090

The first of the stars glowed in the sky, making Legolas look more pale and sick than he did anyways.

Thranduils own limbs felt like jelly just watching this.

"Is that a you have?"

"No!" His teeth were gritted closed with the effort of the exercise and keeping himself upright.

"Is that all the work and effort you have to give your warriors?"

"No!"

Ferdan didn't mention more than half of the other warriors had started dropping like flys the last three laps. Their tired bodies physically unable to continue.

"Good! Keeping going!"

Legolas vanished into the trees once more.

0909099090

The last five left looked on the verge of passing out. Yet Ferdan still stalked up and down the length of the training field critiquing them.

"Are you tired?"

"No, Sir!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir!"

They didn't have the breath to spare more than two words.

They were getting close to finishing the course and starting another lap. "Are you going to keep running?"

"Yes, Sir!"

Like a flip has been switched Ferdans harsh and commanding voice was replaced with a more pleasant one, "I admire the commitment but there is no need, you're done. You can stop."

"Oh, thank the Valar." Legolas groaned, letting go of the bar he had been scrambling on and falling to the ground with a thud.

"I'm going to die." Avaleina groaned from where she had likewises crumpled to the ground. "No, I'm going to be sick, and then I'm going to die."

"I don't have the energy to die." Farlen groaned back.

"I'm content to die," Legolas added, "If it can lay here and not move while I do it."

What was left of the crowd quickly began to disperse and Thranduil made it over so where his son had planted himself in the dirt. "And here I thought you would be too disappointed about not going to Imladris to die."

"There is no disappointment in death," As if realizing something startling for the first time his eyes went wide, "Ada! What are you doing in the halls of Mandos! Wait, if you're here, and I'm here, then who's running Greenwood?"

Thranduil couldn't help but smile at his sons dramatics, "The same person who has been running it for centuries, Galion."

"Our people are in safe hands, then."

"The safest."

Legolas' eyes drifted closed as he continued to struggle to catch his breath, "I can't feel my legs, do I still have legs?"

"Two of them."

"Oh, good. I think I'm supposed to have that many."

"Are you coming inside to bed?"

His eyes didn't open, his limbs resting like lead, "Unless you plan to carry me, I sleep under the stars tonight."

"It's supposed to rain."

"I don't care."

Thranduil shrugged and before Legolas could register what was happening he had him hanging like a dead deer over his shoulder. "You're lucky you're my favorite son."

"I have never been so happy to be an only child."

Ferdan called out across the field, "I will see the first fifteen to fall tomorrow's sunrise." And then, softer again, "You did good, elflings. I'm proud of you."

And then with a voice like iron again, "Do not think this praise means you can start slacking off! I'm watching you!"

90909090909090

 **Sorry It's a day late, but here you go!**

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	51. Morning

"Good Morning!" Thranduil heard Galion's voice across the shared living space in Legolas' room, as always, disturbingly cheerful for such an early hour.

Legolas groaned and there was a thud that sounded suspiciously like a pillow being thrown, and Thranduil knew he was next.

He heard the door open. "Don't."

"I'm afraid so my king."

"If the sun is not yet up I don't understand why I have to be."

"Because the early bird get's the worm."

"I don't need a worm, I need sleep."

"Well, you're getting a worm anyways. Up."

The door clicked shut and Thranduil resisted the urge to throw his pillow against the door. Like father like son, he supposed.

He had about five minutes before Galion came to yell at them again, and he didn't plan to squander it.

 **00oooo000**

"Legolas! Up!"

He startled back awake and tried to roll over, already done with the dreary winter day but Galion seized the blanket, Legolas groaned, half-heartedly tugging back "Why are you like this?"

"I would not have to be this way if you were more cooperative!" He wrestled the blanket away successfully and tore it off the bed, exposing Legolas to the cold air.

"Ah! Why!" Begrudgingly he stumbled out of bed, "Fine. Look, I'm standing."

"Good, now go bother your father."

"Fine."

Snatching his favorite blanket he wrapped it around him like a shawl he shuffled his way into his father's room. Without hesitation, he climbed onto the empty side of the bed and snatched his fathers comb from the nightstand and set to work on his braids.

"Did the creature sent personally from the Valar to punish me send you to do his dirty work for him?"

Legolas yawned mightily, "He did."

"Disgusting."

"I know."

"Your braids are uneven."

With another yawn, Legolas collapsed onto the bed, "I don't care. If it bothers you so much you fix them."

"I would have to move."

"Mhmm." Legolas' voice was heavy with sleep, "Besides, it'll bother Ava enough that she'll redo them."

"That's true." He didn't know why he responded, Legolas was already back asleep.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

When Galion returned for the third time ten minutes later it was suspiciously silent in the space and he marched to Thranduil's bedroom, finding both royals asleep once more. "Honestly, you two."

They both groaned.

They were not moring people as a rule, but it had been some time since they had last been this bad. Part of him felt bad to keep bothering them, but unfortunately, the needs of a kingdom under attack waited for no elf.

He clapped his hands together, "Don't make me sing my morning song, because I will."

"Oh, Valar no." Legolas groaned, slithering off the bed like a boneless snake, somehow keeping himself wrapped in the blanket.

"I hate you," Thranduil said with some conviction as he finally threw the blankets off the bed and stood.

"I know." He held the door open for them expectantly, they were not to be trusted alone in a room any longer. Especially not one with a bed. "Breakfast is on the table, eat it and be merry or I will sing you the song of the morning people."

Legolas seemed to give it a moment of deep contemplation if he should stand or just roll across the floor, had it not ben winter and the floors so cold he probably would have, but he pulled himself upright. "I can't wait to go to bed tonight."

With one last longing look to the bed, they both left the bedroom to start their day, finally.

 **O0o0o0o00oo0o0**

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	52. Songfic

**Somebody left 'Songfic' and so I wrote it to one of my current obsessions "If We Have Each Other." By Alec Benjamin and used the chorus for the story.**

 **Also, if you want the full heartbreaking effect might I suggest re-reading chapter 6: Hide as this takes place later the same day.**

 **Aka right after the Queen dies.**

 **I hope you like it!**

 **..…..000000000….**

The bed felt cold and empty without her in it, almost as empty as he himself felt. They both felt.

He and Legolas both felt it clinging to the deepest parts of them.

He clung to his father as if his heat could make up for her absence. As if his father's heartbeat could drown out the sound of everything his too young ears had heard.

Thranduil sat upright against the headboard, gently rocking the most precious thing the Eru had ever created back and forth. His arms were wrapped tightly around the elfling, with one hand holding his head solidly to his chest like it would erase the memory of the long, long hours he had spent alone.

Legolas still hadn't stopped crying since Thranduil had found him in the cave. Thranduil wasn't sure if he had either.

"Too quiet." His little leaf whispered. He did not like the silence anymore. Nobody would after spending an eternity in the dark alone, trapped. Hurting.

How were either of them ever going to stop crying?

Somehow it was easier to sing than to speak. Somehow his voice did not sound as cracked as he felt. "The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad,"

Legolas managed to snuggle closer, "If we got each other, and that's all we have,"

"I will be your father, and I'll hold your hand," He would not leave. He would not leave. He would not fade. He could not fade. He would not leave.

"You should know I'll be there for you," He kissed Legolas' head, and closed his eyes. Not able to look at the empty space beside him.

"When the world's not perfect," Legolas hiccuped another sob in his arms, "When the worlds not kind,"

A promise. "If we have each other then we'll both be fine,"

He would not leave. He would not fade. "I will be your father, and I'll hold your hand,"

Slowly his voice began to fail him, "You should know I'll be there for you."

 **..0000..**

 **Please remember to review!**


	53. Drowning

**This is more than double the length it's supposed to be, but it's almost the new year so**

 **I Don't Care.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **0o0o0o0o**

Legolas heard the noise before it was too late to do anything about it.

A growl ahead, and even worse, an answering snarl behind. Barely heard over the thundering waterfall.

Panic struck him like lightning and he grabbed onto Estel's arm and pulled him back, the ledge was too then to squish the small human behind him for protection and there were no caves or crevices to push him into.

The growl had been closer than the snarl; and so he looked ahead.

 **0o0o0o0**

Estel turned back to Legolas, confused why all of a sudden the elf had a death grip on his arm. But stopped when he saw the look in his friends eyes.

He had never, not even once, seen Legolas scared.

Not even five summers ago when Legolas and his brothers had allowed him to go come camping with them and they woke to find that a group of wild cats seemed to have decided to make a meal out of them. Elladan and Elrohir had looked afraid, but not Legolas.

But now he look terrified. "Estel, are you a good climber?"

He swallowed hard, usually he would fear being seen as weak with such an honest answer, he shouted to ensure he was heard, "Tree's, yes. Rockewalls? No."

Legolas eyes began darting around the rock wall next to them, searching for something.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

How he wished the human could climb. But the child was not strong enough to fight the current of the waterfall in the small pool below.

Estel would drown.

He searched the walls around him for any kind of ledge or grip he might put the child on, or root to help secure him. But there was nothing.

He reached out with his mind to the trees, allowing them to feel the full extent of his fear and dread, and feeling that their hope lied with getting word, quick and concise, to Lord Elrond.

It was their only option. Their only chance.

It seemed impossible that there was a hunting pack so close to the borders.

Then Warg stepped into view.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

Elrond knew this panic was not his own. It was more wild than anything he had ever felt before, more chaotic.

It was borrowed. It was a message.

A plea.

There was only one elf anywhere near Imladris that the trees would serve as a messenger for. And that person was in charge of his son.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

Legolas had already fired his bow before Estel even got a chance to turn back to the Warg, and only saw a huge brown lump splash into the water.

He tried to scream, to warn Legolas of another behind him but the elf had once again already shot it before he got the chance.

And then there was a burning sensation in his back.

And then he was falling.

And then he couldn't breath.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

Legolas cursed at himself and his slow hands, unable to protect the child and shot two more wargs - the one two left that he could see - before jumping headfirst into the raging waters below.

He aimed away from the waterfall but the churning pressure still dragged him to the bottom.

 **O0o0o0o0**

Estel felt his leg get scraped against the ground as he was dragged backwards; much against his will. Another shape fell into the water.

He couldn't tell which way was up.

 **0o0o0o0o**

Legolas allowed himself to be pulled across the bottom, managing to only bump his arm once or twice. Knowing that he would be pulled to the same place the small boy, if only he did not fight it.

 **0o0o0o0o**

Something was pounding on him from above, pushing him farther and father into the earth that was so unforgiving. He couldn't open his eyes. He couldn't see. He couldn't swim. He couldn't move.

Something grabbed him. Not a Warg, but hands. Deterind hands.

 **0o0o0o0o**

One arm securely around Estels middle, Legolas felt for the side of the pool and pushed off the ground with his feet, kicking as hard as he could and using the rocks to help literally pull himself and the child to the surface of the water.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

His face broke the surface of the water and be began coughing wildly. Sputtering and gasping, still unable to see anything.

"Hold on." A choked voice told him, taking both of his hands and attaching them to a vine A vine that had not been there before, tucked behind the waterfall. "Don't let go." The voice told him.

Legolas. That had to be Legolas.

 **0o0o0o0o**

He felt the wargs jaws close around his foot and ankle and he desperately hoped that Estel had a good enough hold that he would stay above the surface when he not longer could. "Your Ada will be here soon."

His own father was hundreds of miles away. His own father would not know until days afterwards. Weeks, maybe. Depending on the tree's.

That was all the physical reaction he managed, making sure Estel could hold himself up, before Legolas was pulled under the surface once more.

The crushing waterfall once again dragging him through the currents, but this time with a Warg very much attached to his leg.

 **0o0o0o0o**

Red bloomed in the water around him, and Estel had never been so scared in his life. "Legolas?" He called.

"Legolas?" He screamed, desperate.

There was no reply.

 **0o0o0o00o0o**

Blindly he slashed at his leg with one of his two twins knives, the one that hadn't been roughly pulled off of him and away.

He slashed again.

He hit something, but the warg still did not let go. He swung again, this time it let go.

Red bloomed around him.

He didn't know if that was the wargs blood or his.

As long as it wasn't the child's he didn't mind.

He would die to protect this child, without one single regret.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

His grip began to slip on the root, the current pulling him under was too strong and he was too weak to lift himself all the way out of the water and hold himself there.

He tried so hard. But he slipped.

It was too strong.

Estel went back under the surface.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

The tree's told him that Estel had been pulled back under, and so with one final swish of his blade he moved away from the Warg and left it to be pulled around by the current while he searched for the boy.

And also did not stab the boy, either. Hopefully.

He tried to reach the surface and take a breath, but just as he reached the top another powerful paw pushed him under.

Deep, under.

His face scraped across the rough rocks below.

More red bloomed.

His lung screamed.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Everything was water. There was no getting away from it. No safety. No hope for him. He was too little, and the water too strong.

Something grabbed hold of him again.

 **0o0o0o0o**

Using most of the strength that he had left, Legolas managed to pull the both of them back up to the surface one last time. He pulled Estel over to the edge of the pool once more, this time on the far side of the thundering waterfall.

Reaching up, Legolas grabbed as high as he could on the rocks, and hoisted Estel up with the other arm, "Reach!"

The child did as instructed, his hand caught another root. A stronger root. Legolas kept pushing until Estel's entire torso was in the loop of the root.

Then he gave the tree the command, and the root snapped tight. Keeping Estel firmly in place.

His energy and strength almost entirely spent, he didn't have much left when another massive paw pushed him back under the water.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

He watched Legolas got pulled under by another warg, one of three who were still alive and in the pool with them.

Red blossomed again, making it impossible to see anything in the water at all.

"Legolas!" He screamed.

The elf's head did not pop back up.

"Legolas!"

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Elrond heard his son screaming. The same as Elladan, Elrohir, and Glorfindel had.

The rest of the warriors had been left behind.

The four that had rushed ahead didn't care.

Their boy was in danger.

 **0o0o0o0o**

Glorfindel reached the edge before anybody else, his bow already drawn and ready. He saw Estel literally tied to the rock wall.

The water below churned with water and blood.

He didn't see Legolas.

He couldn't see anything.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

No matter how he tried to reach the surface he was pushed back down.

A claw to his legs.

His back.

His face.

Chest.

Down.

He tree's screamed in his ears.

Down.

But Estel was safe.

The wate pulled him father under.

 **0o0o0o0oo0o0**

Elrond used all the force stored within his Ring to bring a stop to the waterfall, to stop the turbulence that threatened to swallow his beloved youngest son.

And the son of a friend, the one who he loved so dear he might as well he been a son.

The heart of the tree's thudded loudly in his chest. Louder than his heart ever could. Louder than any natural human being could feel.

Legolas was dying.

Estel was alive.

But Legolas das drowning, of this he was certain.

 **O0o0o0o0o0o**

The tree's tugged him upwards.

Told him which way to go.

And he pushed.

He really did.

He tried.

The air barely touched his lips, before another paw pushed him under

The waterfall claimed its price.

 _I'm sorry, Ada._

The tree's told him the child was safe.

 _Good….. That's as good…. The child….._

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

The effort to stop the waterfall was too much for Elrond, and so his twin sons began shooting the Wargs that were still alive in the water.

Hoping to not hit their woodland friend.

Prince Legolas.

Their fourth brother.

Estel still wept and called for his friend, securely attached to the rocks.

 **0o0o0o0o**

Glorfindel panicked. And leaot headfirst into the water below, trusting the twins he had trained himself to not land a killing blow upon his skin.

Or the princes.

If there was even a killing blow to land. If Legolas was still alive.

The tree's screamed within his chest.

 **O0o0o00o0o**

The tree's told him that someone had come to find him.

To find the child.

The tree's knew the child was more important.

They told him where to aim his last efforts towards instead.

He trusted them.

With the last of effort and will he had, Legolas pushed away from the bottom.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

All of a sudden, the water was calm. The wargs were dead, and the waterfall stopped.

Estel could see where one blond elf dived for another, where Glorfindel grasped him securely and pushed for the top.

Red continued to spread around them.

Another body joined the pool; one of his brothers.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Elladan reached his brother, secure that the other creatures were dead.

"Estel!" He called, knowing that was blood he smelled from his little brothers clothes. "Estel!

Upons the prince's command, the roots gave way with a wail if despair.

He heard Legolas gasp in pain, and Estel fell into his arms.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

Glorfindel felt the water growing calmer around him, the same time he saw Legolas trying his best to float towards him.

He swam desperately for the elf he had known since before the prince could even speak.

Thankfully, he reached him, and began to depreraitly make his way towards the surface.

 **0o0o0o0o**

Elrohir already had one rope tied around a tree and dropped below before his father even woke up from his trance long enough to even register what was happening.

Elrond began to pull Elladan and Estel up immediately.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Legolas' head lolled to the side and water seeped out of his slack mouth.

Glorfindel tied the rope around both of them, and hoped for the best.

 **0o0o0o0o**

The ones tied to the rope arrived at the top around the same time.

Elrohir fell towards his brothers, and Elrond fell towards the Prince bleeding out in his forest, his lungs screaming for air and the forest screaming to help the elf the loves to much.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

The bed was comfortable under his skin.

Too comfortable, comfortable enough he knew he was on pain numbing teas.

He tried to say 'Estel' but frankly was not certain any sound even came out of his mouth.

"Safe." A voice assured him. A voice he knew, he thought. "Thanks to you, he is safe."

The fell asleep before he remembered who the voice belonged to.

 **O0o0o0o0o0o**

Aragorn griped Gimli's arm, hard. Very hard.

They were out of Legolas' ear shot, of this the ranger was certain.

Still, he bent down to Gimli's level, and hissed, "The loyalty and love of any elf is not to be taken lightly, especially not the love and loyalty of Legolas. Treat it lightly, and I will live to make sure you regret it."

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

 **Happy New Year! And thank you!**

 **Thank you to everyone who reads all of these very weekend. Bigger thank you to everyone who has ever left me a review, even if its something like "Nice"! And the biggest thank you who manage to leave a review on most or everything I post.**

 **Thank you all, for every read and like and follow and review that you have. You're amazing.**


	54. Wild

"He's grown up completely wild."

Truth be told, Legolas always was wild. He had been since he could walk. Since before that, probably, they just haven't noticed yet. Like some powerful river or thundering waterfall, there was no stopping or changing him, only guiding.

Though Galion knew there was no other way Thranduil would ever want his son.

But Legolas was wild in the sense his people used the word and not the other Elven realms. Who saw 'wild' as packs of rabid animals, mudslides, and the darkness of caves. 'Wild' was just another synonym for 'Bad' or Dangerous.'

But to him, and his people it was wonder and beauty. Wild was flower fields, howling under the moon, endless laughter, and running beneath the canopy of the trees. Wild the same way the changing of seasons was, or a flock of birds, or a powerful and consuming love.

It was free and happy and simple. Wild was good.

The group of elves snickered. "What else could you expect? They're all like that."

One of them checked to make sure King Thranduil had not heard them talking, and being satisfied by his distance continued, "I do not know why he and his father would ever willingly descend to their level."

But they had forgotten one crucial factor, and Galion fought a smile as he poured another cup of wine, muttering, "Be nice."

They had forgotten that he was the Woodland King, he was the King of the forest the same he was King over the elves. A title that held him great respect for any who were aware enough to know who he was; tree, shrub, or otherwise.

What the elves had forgotten, was that they were sitting by an open window. And just because the trees choose not to speak to them, did not mean the trees did not speak.

"Do you think Thranduil would ever allow him to marry one?"

Thranduil had never taken people insulting his son, or his people, very well.

Thranduil didn't hide his smirk, "Its not me that you should be concerned for."

But then, neither had Legolas.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that last part."

Arwen had followed from where Legolas had abandoned her mid-dance, reaching down she laced her hand with his right one, and held onto his upper arm.

Much less a gesture of affection than one of restraint. He let her without even acknowledging it happened.

Thranduil wondered if she knew Legolas had been trained equally with both hands.

"It wasn't for your ears to hear."

"Don't say it in a public place then. Or at least have the courtesy to do it in a room other than the one I am in. At the other end of the room, at the very, _very,_ least."

Arwen tugged on his arm but he did not move an inch, "Come on Legolas, let's go dance. Forget this."

He just kept staring at the table of elves, "Nothing to say now?"

Galion could tell they were nervous, very nervous. He could not blame them, Thranduil had raised a very formidable elf even before all if his warrior training with Ferdan.

None were confident they would win if this escalated any farther. Glorfindel kept a watchful eyes on the encounter and shifted a bit closer, just in case.

Another person joined the small and very quite showdown, and Arwen quickly made room for Avaleina.

The one Legolas already knew he was going to marry, the match that Thranduil supported wholeheartedly. One who had never left to live anywhere but the forest, who was not born into a high standing, who they would not view as good enough.

Like Arwen she entwined her hand with his, but her other came to spread across his chest as she tucked herself perfectly into place.

Unlike with Arwen, Legolas glanced over and away from the elves at the table for the first time to look at her face.

"Leave them, before they wet themselves with fear. Leave Elrond's halls peaceful." She was good at soothing Legolas' temper, as good as his mother had been with Thranduil. "It doesn't matter what they think."

Then, in old Silvan they wouldn't understand she added and twirled the tiny vines made into a ring on his finger, " _It cannot change us."_

The elves at the table glanced between the two wood elves with slight panic and hesitation. Wise enough for perhaps the first time in their lives to keep their mouths shut.

She turned and looked each one up and down with disdain, "Next time I suggest you do not utter words you are not willing to repeat. The reason King Thranduil and King Oropher left to join our people and our way of life was because they were tired of having their homes riddled with people like you. I feel sorry for you."

Avaleina tugged in his hand and like sand against a wave and Legolas allowed it.

Not even an hour later his entire escort approached their King, Legolas spoke for them, "We're going to go dance with the trees somewhere that is not in the city walls. Want to come?"

Somewhere they could breath. Where they could laugh as loud as they wanted and sing happier songs.

The invitation was extended to both of them; Galion said "Yes," and Thranduil stood up from his chair.

They were all too wild for a place like this.

 **...**

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	55. Counting

Thranduil came to stand under one tree, not at all different than the trees around it except for the fact his son was currently hiding in its branches.

He waited one second, two seconds, to see if Legolas would attempt to talk to him first, he didn't. "Greenleaf?"

One, two, three, four, five. "The tree's already told me that you're there, no point in pretending you are not."

"I asked them not too."

"Well, you're going to have to take that up with them." They could tell that none of the trees were particularly remorseful, "Am I coming up, or are you coming down?"

"I have no intentions of coming down."

"I didn't think you did." Thranduil said softly, to nobody at all as he shed some of his layers, a branch nearby offered itself as a form of coat rack. "Ah, thank you."

And then he climbed. Up, up, up, up until finally his son appeared, as at home on his branch as any squirrel or bird would be. Looking thoroughly miserable, but trying commendably not to.

Thranduil settled himself next to his son, not yet even at his majority. Not even close to it yet, either, six decades. "How was your day?" He asked, pleasantly.

"It was fine. How was yours?" He watched as a few birds played in a puddle on the ground,

"Yes, that tone is _very_ convincing; I'm assuming mine was better than yours."

"I said mine was fine."

"Then what's with vanishing on our dinner with no word and hiding here, alone? You did not even tell Galion."

Legolas didn't say anything, and this time Thranduil waited seven seconds, "Did something happen with Farlen?"

"No."

"Avaleina?"

"No."

"Did you step on a bee?"

"No."

"Fall out of a tree?"

"No."

"Read a sad book?"

"No."

"Did Ferdan say something rude or hurtful? Or both?"

"No, to both."

"Tell me if I'm getting closer, at least."

"Ada!" Still, Legolas did not look at him.

"I've already asked eight questions, but I am happy to keep going. Did you-"

Finally Legolas turned scalding eyes to his father, "Why?"

Thranduil was not deterred by anger, least of all Legolas' anger. As someone who experienced it often himself he knew that anger was more often than not a shield for something else.

Legolas was not angry at him, he was just angry.

"Because something is bothering you, and I want to help, and I love you."

Legolas turned back to the birds, already faltering in his temper, "Its stupid and ridiculous and it isn't important."

"If it is bothering you this much it is important to you, and therefor, it is important to me."

"You're going to laugh."

"Never."

"What if I don't pass the test for my warrior training? What if I have to do it again? What if I _still_ fail? That's so humiliating, and I don't want to disappoint you or Ferdan like that."

"That's what you're worried about? You haven't even started your training yet!"

"See, I told you this was pointless, and unimportant."

"That is not what I meant. I meant; you do not even have to think about that for at least nine decades. That is a quite some time to learn, and you will. Ferdan has yet to have any warrior fail the test, and there is absolutely no part of me that thinks you could ever be the first."

Thranduil gently bumped Legolas' arm, he finally looked away from the birds, "That being said, if you _do_ happen to fail for whatever reason at all, I would never be disappointed with you; even if you had to retake it ten times. I would not be disappointed if you decide never to become a warrior, and wanted to be a healer instead. I could not even be disappointed in you if you drank yourself sick, striped naked and declared war on Imladris."

"Regardless of what happens on that day, just know that you will have already made me the proudest elf in all of Arda everyday for the last 150 years. That's 1,800 months, 7,200 weeks, 54,750 days, 1,314,000 hours-"

Legolas started to laugh, finally, "Okay, okay, I get it."

"Are you my sure? I can keep going."

"I'm sure."

"Good." Legolas stomach growled, "Ready for dinner?"

"Yes, have you eaten yet?"

Thranduil and Legolas began to make their way down the tree, "I have not, you see I was supposed to have dinner with someone but they randomly vanished."

"What a pity,"

"It is."

"Guess you're stuck with me."

"I'm counting on it."

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

 **I counted to ten in the chapter, did you notice?**

 **Would love to hear from you!**


	56. Job

Good morning, little prince." Galion almost sang as he entered the kings bedroom.

To his surprise, Legolas was already awake. Usually when he woke up before Galion came gfir him, he would go find his father.

But he was just laying there.

Without a thought Galion took off his shoes and slid into bed next to the little thing, right where Thranduil usually slept.

Legolas attached himself securely to his arm like it was a tree he might fall out of. "How long have you been awake?"

"A while."

"Why didn't you come find us?" Legolas shrugged. "We can keep it a secret."

Legolas turned his eyes upwards, "Promise?"

"Promise."

"I had a dream about Nana. I didn't want to go find Ada because then he would know what it was, even if I didn't tell him. And then he would be sad again, too."

Galion lifted him do that he was laying across his chest, "Oh my little prince, your heart is too big for your body. It is not your job to worry about your father; that's my job. You don't want to put me out of a job, do you?"

"I wouldn't see you anymore." He sounded heartbroken at the thought, and so Galion kissed his head.

"Oh no, you are not getting away from me that easily. I will _always_ be there to bug you." To prove his point he wormed one of his fingers against a particularly ticklish spot.

Legolas squirmed with a giggle.

"Well, what _is_ my job then?"

"Your job, first and foremost is to be happy, and that means telling us when you are _not_ happy. Can you do that?"

Legolas thought about it. "I can do that."

"Good."

Legolas thought about it again, "When I get older, will I have lots of jobs like Ada?"

"You're going to have so many of them you're not even going to know what to do."

"Do you think I will be good at them?"

"I think you will be perfect at them." Legolas nodded, and drew quite again. "Do you want to go and get a hug from Ada now?"

This time, he didn't have to think about it, "Yes please."

Galion got back out of the bed, keeping Legolas in his arms and made for the door. Leaving his shoes where they were on the rug, "Good. Because giving you hugs and snuggles is one of your Ada's favorite jobs."

"What's his favorite?"

"Just bring your Ada."


	57. Ambush

Legolas stopped, and took a step back, "Ada.."

His father was behind him in an instant, sword drawn, "I know. I feel it."

The creak of bows being drown was behind him.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

" _Faster, please, Asfaloth." Somehow, thankfully his friend managed to go faster, scrambling up the side of the mountain._

 _For creatures that were supposed to have an infinate amount of time, Glorfindel often felt like he was constantly running out of it._

 _He glanced back to ensure the rest of his host was with him. They were._

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

The goblin's grinned as they crawled from their caves like ants from their hole. Viscious grins dribbed and disformed hands held crude weapons or chains attached to trolls.

Legolas found an arrow in his hand before he could think, aimed for a troll eye. Waiting for the command to fire.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

" _Oh Valar, help us." Elladan said, face scrunching up at the smell wafting from above and the morning sunrise in his eye, "That cannot be good."_

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Arrow after arrow he shot until he had no more, and arrow after arrow another one of the elves that had come with him left for the halls.

A troll screamed with rage and came charging forward. He pulled his knives.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

 _Rivers of blood leaked from far above the mountain pass. Both red and black._

 _The horses tried not to step in it but did not always have a choice_.

 **0o0o0o0o**

He slipped in blood, and the rocks rolled beneath his feet.

He fell.

He was going to die. The troll swung its axe.

 **0o0o0o0**

 _It has been long years since he had last seen such carnegie, and the first time the twins ever had._

 _Next to him Elrond yelled, desperate and pleading, "Legolas? Thranduil?"_

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

"Ada! No!"

The troll fell.

So did the king.

 **0o0o0o0**

 _No answer came, the only sight was the dead._

 **0o0o0o**

He tried desperately to fight his way to his father, but the goblins seemed to be multiplying the more he killed.

Something struck his head from behind.

He didn't feel his face crash into the rocks as he fell into them.

 **0o0o0o**

 _Elladan and Elrohir both dropped from their horses and began scrambling up some of the bigger boulders, searching around for any clues to where survivors might be._

 _Would hopefully be._

 **0o0o0o**

He knew when the tree's wanted him to wake. He also knew when the tree' thought something was urgent. And this, apparently, was urgent.

Regardless of the screaming agony in his head, Legolas opened his eyes.

Just in time to see a pair creeping slowly towards him in the night. Feeling the edges or a rock in his hand he grabbed it securely and prepared to strike.

 **0o0o0o**

" _Over here!" Elladan called, pointing the way where a small cloud of dust had been kicked up, "It has to be!"_

 **0o0o0o0o**

Seven strikes. It took seven strikes to take its life.

He found his knife, and then he searched for anybody that might still be alive.

 **0o0o0o**

 _There was the sound of a sword slicing flesh, and Asfaloth charged for it. Glorfindel easily shot three of the goblins, and each twin got the other two._

 **0o0o0o**

He bound the wound tightly, grabbed his sword from the ground next to him in time to deflect another blow and spill the guts of the goblin scout attempting to kill him.

He killed two others before they could come near those in his party that had survived the ambush.

The last got a slice onto his arm, and then it lost its head.

 **0o0o0o0o**

 _Legolas almost looked as if he had been sentenced to death by a thousand scratches. He looked pale, hallow, and exhausted. A wound oozed from his forehead, and his hair at the back was equally red._

 **0o0o0o**

Every hour or so it seemed more scouts were sent to check on the state of the ambush. To see if the elves had come through the pass.

Every hour it became harder to protect the others and himself. Every hour he wished more and more desperate for help.

Another head fell to the ground.

Every hour he grew more worried none of them would survive the night.

 **0o0o0o**

" _Oh good." He said, sounding entirely as dazed as he looked. Glorfindel threw himself off of Asfaloth and towards the prince._

 _Legolas turned mechanically towards a small barricade of stones, "Please help."_

 **0o0o0o**

The sun could not come up fast enough. He was too tired. His father was bleeding too much. Everything was happening too much.

 **0o0o0o**

 _Elrond fell to the ground next to Thranduil and immediately began his work on the wounds while Elladan, and Elrohir began their inspection of some of the other incredibly injured elves secured away by their prince._

 _There were not many, not compared to how many Glorfindel knew would have been sent to escort their King._

 **0o0o0o**

His arms felt like lead, heavier with every swing. There were hoofbeats in the distance.

The five goblins that had been scrambling across the earth towards him dropped dead. Somehow he managed to turn towards the noise, trying not to visibly sway.

It took him a moment to recognize it as Glorfindel, "Oh good."

 **0o0o0o**

 **Thranduil opened his eyes, the fear in his heart still as ice cold as when he saw the troll swinging for Legolas with such deadly promises.**

 **He made to move, to search, to do something, anything. Anything to help Legolas.**

 **His son. His greenleaf.**

" **Peace, Thranduil, Peace. He is safe." Glorfindel appeared out of nowhere, leaning over him, "In the bed across from yours, asleep. Healing."**

 **He tore his eyes away and moved his head to see his son, ignoring the pains from doing so. Cuts, scratches, and a few bites were visible already. Seeing him was not good enough.**

 **He made to move again, to get up, to go to his son. Hold him. Touch him, just in case.**

" **Stop! Stop!" Glorfindel pushed him back onto the bed, "You will tear your stitches. Stop."**

 **He would not stop.**

" **I will bring him to you."**

 **He stopped fighting and managed to move himself away from the center of the bed. Watching with scrutiny as Glorfindel carefully lifted Legolas' frail looking form from his own bed and carried him over to his fathers and laid him down gently**

 **Thranduil managed to lift one of his hadns to cup his little leafs face as he pressed his forehead lightly against Legolas' injured one; telling his son in every way he could that he had not left.**

 **He was not alone. He would never be alone.**

 **0o0o0o**


	58. Name

Thranduil had always known that the Kingdom of Greenwood adored his son. That had always been obvious, from the very moment he entered the world.

It started when he was a little elfling, and he wanted to say Hi to everybody he saw and be their friend. Especially if they had fun stories to tell him.

Once he began walking, it became even more obvious. If possible.

Kitchen staff used to sneak him treats, stable hands would let him help feed and brush their elks, guards used to let him wander the paths with them with a wooden sword. Sometimes with one holding each hand and swinging him merrily between them.

Librarians used to read to him whenever he wanted, whatever he wanted. Gardeners let him help plant seeds in the garden, and look after sick plants. The healers would let him crush up herbs and as long as he promised to be careful.

Galion used to carry him around on his shoulders while he carried out his errands, and take him for 'camping trips' in the forest iust behind their home. Ferdan taught him to swim, and to _safely_ climb huge cliffs and mountains, since he insisted on doing it anyways.

Performers spent hours teaching him all of the old dances of his mother's people, and as many songs as he wanted or could remember.

When Thranduil would sit on his throne for his people to come and tell him their grievances and troubles, Legolas would come and sit on his lap and insist that Thranduil whisper his response into Legolas' ear so that he could be the one to tell them himself.

Nearly every single elf that saw the little prince would say hello to him, or give him a hug, or at the very least an affectionate pat on the head. Even the most grumpy of councillors would wear the flower crowns the little prince had made for them.

Thranduil never had to worry about his son, even if he did have an awful habit of wandering away with incredible speed and stealth, because literally every elf that saw him would assist him if he needed it. Or return him to his father, or Galion, if it started getting late.

And then Legolas grew up, and all of Greenwood watched with pride and love as he grew into an even greater version of himself. As he remembered every single one of their names, families, and troubles.

They laughed and rolled their eyes when they watched him be up to mischief, leaping waterfalls and visited settlements around them.

"Does your father know where you are, Legolas?"

"A bit late to be returning home, isn't it?"

"That better not be a bottle of wine behind your back."

They watched as he trained day and night to help defend them, as he went against every natural instinct he had to not cause harm. As he became swift and silent as Mandos himself. As

led their own children into battle after battle and then back to safety again.

As he helped to lift their spirits, and make his father laugh. As he continued to glow like a beautiful star in their dim and darkness filled forest.

Thranduil knew that they had all felt his heartbreak when Legolas did not return to them from the council of Elrond, especially when they figured out exactly _where_ their beloved Prince was headed with all haste.

And when the war ended, and they found out that against all odds, somehow, the eternal Greenleaf of their kingdom had survived they loved him all the more.

Thranduil had been stunned into silence, and also to tears when he found out what his people's suggestion for a new name was their newly reclaimed, and beautiful home.

Eryn Lasgalen: Wood of Greenleaves

 **0...0**

 **Can't wait to hear all of your thoughts!**


	59. Mountain

Elrohir looked over the edge of the small cliff to the snow-covered mountain below them, "I don't know Legolas, I don't think its a good idea."

Elladan crossed his arms, "I know its not a good idea. If it does not go well, you're certainly going to die."

Legolas looked up from his own survey of the mountain to the twins with a grin, reaching behind he began to braid more of his hair away, "Probably. But if it does go well, it's going to be _so_ much fun."

"Are those really what you plan to make your last words?" Elladan asked with a scowl.

"I'm fine with them." Legolas retreated away from the edge again and back to the sturdy looking piece of bark that had come from a tree they needed to cut down for firewood last night for another careful inspection.

Elrohir gave his brother an exasperated look, and then shove when he realized that seemed to sum up the full extent of interference Elladan planned to run between Legolas and this foolish idea. "If the princeling wants to die, let him die I say. I tried to convince him otherwise, and he didn't listen."

'"Not going to die." Legolas added pleasantly as he looked back over the edge of the ledge.

Elrohir tried to pry the wood form his hands but Legolas moved it away too quickly, "Yes. You will. If the mountain does not kill you, then Nana will when she hears about this. And if somehow you survive that, then Ada is going to kill you for making him explain all of his to _your_ Ada."

Legolas still seemed thoroughly un-discouraged, "Oh please, stop being so dramatic. Just don't tell Lady Celebrian and then all of that will be avoided. I got sent here because I found and fought cave trolls, remember? This is not nearly as bad as that."

"We already know that you're an idiot, you don't need to keep giving us evidence," Elladan said.

Legolas frowned at him briefly, "Well we didn't know there was a cave troll in the cave when we went in, obviously. Honestly, I'm not sure which of us was more surprised. Us or the trolls. Besides, I do this at home but on the river. How different could it be?"

Elladan looked to his twin, appaled, "Is he seriously asking us how different it could be to stand on a piece of bark going down a mountain while avoiding tree's, rocks, possibly Ors and other deadly things than balancing on water?"

"Yes." Elrohir answered, "Eru help us all."

Legolas rolled his eyes, "If Arwen were here she would try it with me."

"Ah!" Both brothers shouted at the same time, "No! She would not! We would not let her!" Elladan continued, "Be the death of yourself if you must but you will not be taking our sister with you."

"Not going to die." Legolas reminded them, "Last chance if you want to come. You don't even have to stand on it, you can sit. I won't even mock you for it."

"No," Elladan answered firmly for both of them.

"Suit yourselves." And then before Elrohir could manage to get ahold of him, Legolas was gone, his wild laughter drifting back up to them for some time as they watched him sled down the mountain with ease.

Elrohir glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. It did look fun.

"No." Elladan growled.

Elrohir glanced at the other, similar pieces of bark nearby.

"No." Elladan said again, this time more of a snarl than anything.

They could still hear Legolas laughing.

"He didn't die."

"Doesn't mean you wont."

Elrohir took a small step sideways, toward the pile of wood. "I mean, I _probably_ won't."

"Elrohir!"

"What!"

"Are you really doing this? Right now? Really?"

He took another step sideways, "I was thinking about it."

"You're as bad as the elfling."

Reaching down he grabbed a piece of bark, and then a second and held the other to his brother, "So you're coming, then?"

Elladan didn't say anything for a few moments, and the sighed and dropped his arms. "Well, I'm not letting you die alone. We came into this world together, we leave it together."

It had been many long years since Elrohir had thought of their promise to one another. They had both decided at a young age that they would not survive the loss of the other to mortality, they didn't understand how their father managed it. Though, they did not often try to think of it in the first place.

"Let's go then."

"Nana's going to kill us."

With matching grins the dropped off the ledge, landing firmly and safely on the bark as it began to speed down the hill. They heard a great cheer from the bottom as Legolas caught sight of them.

It was fun.

 **0o0o0o0o**

"Of all the stupid, irresponsible, idiotic, childish things you've done. This by far is one of the worst. Your father sent you here to force you _out_ of trouble. Not sliding headlong down a mountain towards it! If something had happened, what was your plan? Mhmm? Hope you didn't die in the time it took Elladan and Elrohir to come and get help? Hope the trees would help you? Were you even thinking at all, Legolas? Honestly. The stupidity you manage sometimes baffles me."

The three of them stood side by side, head hung in shame as Celebrian continued her already-several-minutes-long tirade, while Glorfindel and Elrond stood by looking mildly impressed.

"And you two! What excuses do you have? You are older than him! You are supposed to be responsible! I know Elrond and I taught you better than that!"

Subtly so that none of the older elves could see, the three of them bumped their hands together in a futile attempt at their handshake. They still yet did not know how their guardians had found out about what they did before they had even arrived back at the valley, but it didn't stop them from taking Arwen back several days later to do it again.

 **..**

 **Sorry its a bit late, but i can't wait to hear your thoughts!**

 _(Also, since its almost the 60th chapter AKA double the amount of chapters this was supposed to have I was wondering what chapter you really wanted to be longer, or another part so that I could add a part 2 to it of sorts. I thought it would be fun! But thank you all for being here for long and reading these every weekend and leaving so many reviews to let me know you're all still there and liking it. I'll see you next weekend!)_


	60. Brawl

**Last chapter I asked you all to vote for a moment or a chapter you wish I would show or expand on. The highest voted on was for chapter 11: Nemesis**

 **Also, this chapter is double the length it supposed to be and that's still after cutting some of it down.**

 **Happy 60th chapter!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0oo0o0**

The only one they recognized immediately from an (unfavorable) meeting in Imladris was Narhel, who, apparently, spoke for the collective assembled that day. "Allow me to begin to ensure there is no confusion. We told our Lord that there was nothing any if you could teach us, at least nothing we wanted to learn. Even if Lord Ferdan was once an amazing warrior, after years in these woods with you people, he will have deteriorated to your level. Our being here is pointless, but we have been ordered to come and so we have. So stay out of our way, and we'll stay out of yours."

The two lines of young warriors eyed one another up and down across the training field, it was hard to tell who seemed less thrilled about this arrangement.

The Greenwood Elves or the Lothlorien elves.

Legolas and his friends had been wary of their arrival since the moment they had been informed they were coming at all. They could ignore the scorn when they were in Imladris. They could ignore the 'jokes' and the looks. They could pretend that some other elves did not talk down their noses to them.

However, none were particularly confident they would have the same restraint in their own home. But they had promised his father that they would try their best. And so they would.

"Welcome to Greenwood." Legolas said, and then turned and promptly left the field.

 **0p0o0o0**

"Fire!"

A chorus of singing bowstrings and then a thud of impact littered the air.

Lord Ferdan had placed the targets on the absolute other end of their field and placed the young warriors on the farthest place from that he possibly could. At first, the Elves from Lothlorien hadn't seemed to quite grasp that he wasn't joking at first.

Legolas looked to his left where Narhel stood looking on the verge of eruption. Out of the last eight arrows, none of his had hit the bullseye. And two of them were straying dangerously close to the end of the 'acceptable' zone.

Five of Legolas' own had hit the center mark and none of the others strayed far from it. Usually, should he felt any sense of smugness he took careful notice to not display it on his face.

He didn't do that this time. "I'd help you with your aim, but, it would be pointless."

 **0o0o0o0o0**

He had distinctly heard the words 'worthless' and 'savages' as he walked past, and against his better judgment he stopped.

Like a shark smelling blood, Nahel was attracted to the possibility of there being more of it. "Can I help you with something, Prince?"

Legolas knew he should walk away. He really did.

Instead, he turned around.

Narhel stood up straighter, "Do you have a problem with something happening here?"

Legolas knew he should keep his mouth shut. He really did.

Instead, he said: "I have many problems, and you are the most plentiful but unimportant of them all."

"I suppose that doesn't matter because you'll never _do_ anything about it. Run along and tell your father the other children were mean to you and leave us in peace."

Legolas knew he was being taunted and should stop talking and walk away. He really did.

Instead, he took a step closer.

"Firstly, I've met newborn chipmunks meaner than you. Secondly, in order for something to have been hurtful or by any means emotionally impacting, it usually has to come from a creature with an intelligence higher than your average garden stick."

Like dry grass thrown into coals Narhel's expression roared to life, "What did you say?"

"Would saying it slower help?"

And then Galion appeared out of nowhere, as he was quite known to do, and came to stand between them. He glared at everyone assembled to gawk, "Disperse. Now."

They fled in all directions

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Lord Ferdan stood before him with his arms crossed looking displeased. Legolas struggled not to move a muscle, or break eye contact.

They had been standing like this for several minutes now, and Legolas was begging to wish Ferdan had ordered him hours, of course, running instead of whatever was about to happen to him.

Finally, finally, he spoke: "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"About something in specific or in general?" Ferdan somehow managed to look both more strict and alarming without changing a single feature, "I wasn't going to do anything to him, Galion panicked for nothing. Everything was fine"

The weapons master narrowed his eyes a fraction, "I find that implausible. Galion is many things, but easily panicked has never been one of them."

He hadn't been asked a question, and so Legolas kept his mouth wired shut. It was usually easier that way.

"I don't know what started it, I don't particularly care who said what to who, but I do care that you are supposed to be setting an example for your warriors. A _good_ example. You are their Prince and you will be their captain if you cannot control yourself how do you plan to control them?"

He tried to keep his expression neutral, "I can control myself."

"You have not displayed that to me since summer began. Get yourself together, or step down and let somebody else be trained to lead your archers. _You_ do not have time for this foolishness."

"I will not be stepping down." Of that, Legolas was certain. Even if Ferdan tried to force him too, he was stubborn. He would claw is way back to his spot if need be.

He took a few steps forward and Legolas struggled not to step back, "Then start setting a better example. Dismissed."

As he departed the office, Legolas had meant to ignore Narhel and his snickering friend. But as he walked past couldn't resist the urge to mutter; "Don't pick fights, little chipmunk, if all you plan to do is run to those above you crying the other children were mean to you."

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

The all heard the crack, even over the commotion of either side cheering for their team.

Ferdan held his hands up for an immediate stop.

Legolas spun to find where it had come from, finding Avaleina sitting in the grass where she had been knocked with her left shoulder at the wrong angle. Narhel stood above her, not looking particularly remorseful.

It was a rough game. But never, in their two centuries of playing it, had they ever broken a single bone before. And the certainly had never dislocated anything.

He ran over to them, demanding "What happened?"

"It was an accident!" Narhel said loud enough for everyone to hear but then added much more softly so that none other than Legolas or Ava would hear, "Just her brittle Silvan bones, I think."

And then Lord Ferdan appeared on the scene and Legolas was forced to swallow his anger and his biting response. Instead, he knelt down next to Ava in the grass.

Judging by her expression, more anger than pain, she certainly did not believe it was an accident. At least not entirely. But such a claim would be useless without any form of proof and so before his tongue got the best of him, Legolas carefully lifted her into his arms, trying best he could to not move her injured shoulder. "I'm taking her to the healing ward."

He left without being dismissed, storming across the field and trying to not look as thunderous as he felt.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

Legolas stared down at his plate with fixed attention, jaw clenched like it might keep him from overhearing the conversation happening two tables over from theirs. Eloassia looked about ready to toss her butter knife into Narhel's eye.

Legolas took the knife out of her hand, muttering, "Leave it and ignore them."

"He was a dumb, proud fool to charge before Gil-Galad called for it, his army got what was coming for them by choosing to listen to an Elf like that."

Farlen got up and left the table without a word, underneath it, Ava's functional hand came to rest on his knee.

"But then, we knew he could not have been so bright since he left civilization for dirt and sticks."

It had been three weeks since his conversation with Lord Ferdan and he had tried his best to set a good example. But he was tired of this 'game' Narhel seemed determined to play. He was tired of being the bear poked with a sharp stick. So, so tired of it.

"I wonder how long until the rest of them get led in mass to Mandos by the hand of the one who's supposed to protect them." Legolas looked up from his hardly touched meal and focused on keeping his breathing even. Narhel answered his own ponderings, "I give it a century, at most. He's already allowed them to be run out of their own home and into a mountain like dwarves. Could not even manage to keep his wife alive."

He was only saying these things because he knew Legolas could hear him. But that did nothing to help cool the burning coals in his chest, or unclench his hands. Avaleina and Tern shared a concerned look.

"At least she does not have to know what an utterly pathetic excuse of a prince her son was raised to be."

Legolas felt something snap inside of him as quickly as a small, brittle twig trying to hold up an entire mountain on its own would. Slowly and calmly he got to his feet, stepping over the long bench that served as seating and turned to face Narhel who was looking infuriatingly smug and unbothered. He would never understand the joy some seemed to get by hurting or infuriating others, to Legolas, the practice seemed nothing short of disgusting.

Just as calmly, he walked past the table between them and came to stand to Narhel's right side. "I may be a pathetic excuse for a prince. But at least I didn't get my face broken in several places by one."

The elves at the table frowned in confusion for a moment, and then as the realization of what he said dawned on them it was too late. Legolas grabbed the back of Narhel's head and slammed it _very_ solidly into the sturdy oak table. Blood poured from a nose that was certainly broken, and a bruise was already starting to form on his cheek.

After that, it was mostly a blur.

He was told later though that it took six elves, including Lord Ferdan, to pull him off of Narhel's chest. He was also told he landed one more kick before they got him out of reach and that they broke three different tables and several chairs. And, of course, each other.

But perhaps the _best_ thing he heard was that when Narhel attempted to be upset about what happened, Ferdan hardly glanced at him before saying: "Stop talking. You've been begging for this to happen for weeks, and your voice is irritating me."

Later, when his father appeared in the healing ward after hearing that his son had started an all-out brawl in the dining hall and consequently had a broken nose and a few ribs, Legolas was quick to assure him it was entirely worth the pain and whatever Ferdn was going to do to him for punishment.

Entirly and then some.

…

 **I cannot thank you every single one of you who reads and comments on this story (or any of them) enough for the amazing feedback, love, encouragment, and for just generally sticking around!**

 **This is offically double the lenght it was supposed to be when I started it, and it means an immserable amount that so many of you have been here with me for so long.**

 **I dont plan on ending this anytime soon, and I hope you all continue to stick around and enjoy!**

 **(** _Lets see if i can get it to 100 chapters)_

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	61. Sneak

Legolas creeped into the living room as slowly and gently as he could, pausing in the doorway to make sure there were no voices drifting from his father's room.

Galion and Lord Ferdan had departed an hour and a half ago, and as far as Legolas could tell, his father had fallen asleep.

Hopefully he stayed that way.

He stepped lightly across the room and to the window, and then laid on his stomach to peer under the doorway looking for any hint of shadows or movement of any kind.

Nothing.

He got back to his feet, very carefully and very slowly easing the lock on the window open. Pausing as soon as he was done to listen.

Nothing.

He pushed one side of it open, ensuring the hinges wouldn't squeak as it swung open. He glanced back to his father's bedroom door and then eased himself into the edge.

The trees outside laughed at him, but didn't wake his father. Which was all that really mattered.

Avaleina and Farlen waited for him at the bottom of the tree, cheering very softly as he swing himself out of the window and into the branches, leaning back only to close the window behind him.

Doubtlessly the rest of their friends were performing their own feats of stealth and danger. He scrambled down the tree and landed softly in the grass.

With wide grins they raced off into the night to find the rest of their illegally free companions.

 **0o0oo0o0**

Legolas awoke the next day to the sounds of his father bustling about in his own bedroom, earlier than usual.

His sneaking back in seemed to have gone as successfully as the sneaking out had, and so he allowed the curiosity to get the best of him and went to investigate.

His father's bedroom door was open and so Legolas just walked inside, "You're up early."

Thranduil paused in brushing out his hair and redirected his gaze in the mirror so that he could see his son standing in the doorway, "The trees woke me."

It was something bad, then. It had to be. "Oh."

Thranduil put the comb down and turned in the chair he sat on, giving Legolas a soft look. "But that is no concern of yours, my leaf. Nobody has died, and in the end, everything will mend."

"It will?"

"I will make it be so." Thranduil stood up and placed his crown on his head, one of the last things he did before leaving. He wore his simple silver circlet instead of the usual one.

He was leaving home to deal with it whatever was happening, then. It was bad enough or urgent enough to draw him out.

Legolas knew better than to ask for specifics, his father never gave him any until after everything was dealt with. Galion claimed that with time that would change, when he was older. Legolas wasn't convinced.

Legolas stepped out of the doorway to allow his father to pass, "Be safe, please."

"I will. Always." Thranduil kissed his forehead, "It's early, go back to bed and sleep." He moved away, pulling on his boots with ease, "After all, you were up _very_ late last night."

Legolas groaned loudly while his father laughed wickedly, "I thought I was sneaky."

"You were, just not quite sneaky enough." He opened the door leading to the hallway, calling back over his shoulder, "I love you, even though you never listen to me and I'm going to tell Ferdan what you were all up to last night so training might kill you!"

"Love you!" Legolas shouted before the door closed, mumbling to the empty room after it did, "Even though you're betraying me and offering me up to a starving wolf slathered with spices."

And then he went back to bed.

 **0o0o0o0o0**

 **Sorry it's a day late, but here you are! Hope you like it!**


	62. Herd

"This is a terrible plan." Farlen frowned, arms crossed.

"Yes." Legolas agreed, stretching a leg for emphasis, "Got a better one?"

"Go back and get a proper patrol. Four of us cannot defeat three nests."

"And the human villages nearby? Those hatchings won't be satisfied with other bugs for long." Legolas came over and put both hands on his shoulders, "Everything burns."

"Yeah." Farlen pushed his hands off, "Including us."

"So run fast."

Farlen rolled his eyes, "If I die, I'm haunting you."

"I'll be delighted for the company." Legolas turned to Tern, "Please don't light us on fire."

"I'll try not too."

They all looked down into the deep cervas they had picked out, juice from the forest covering the sides to make it impossibly slippery. And flammable oil from Radagast at the bottom.

Legolas turned back to Farlen and Avaleina, "Good luck, run fast."

Ava smiled and kissed them both on the cheek, "Your father is going to slaughter us when he hears about this."

"Probably."

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

He crept up as close as he could to the nest without being detected, trying his best to look like any other rock in the undergrowth.

Waiting. Waiting for the signal.

They had to do this on time, there was no other choice. All the spiders needed to be together.

A horn blew, too quite for the spiders to bother with but loud enough for the elves to hear. He began counting in his head.

Farlen's nest was the farthest, so he needed longer.

Legolas sent another prayer of thanks to the training atrocities Lord Ferdan had put them through, because they all knew down to the last minute how long it took them to navigate their forest.

He just hoped they could predict the timing to the second.

The horn blew a second time.

Legolas plucked harshly on one of their webstrings, sending the whole thing vibrating. What felt like two billion eyes turned to him.

This really was a bad plan.

He began running with every ounce of strength and speed he could muster, the thundering of hundreds of feet more motivating than anything he had yet experienced.

The horn blew a third time.

He lept logs, scaled the sides of trees to avoid uneven terrain and swung from branches without looking, trusting the trees to be where he needed them to be.

Finally, thankfully he saw the deep crack in the earth up ahead, and the thundering of hundreds of feet following him were joined by the other two nests.

The elves all neared the start of it together and scrambled inside, praying they didn't slip and break an ankle.

Farlen screaming, "I hate this!" the entire time.

All the spiders spilled inside behind them, and somehow the elves scrambled faster. Reaching the end they grabbed onto the three dangling ropes and began scaling as fast as they could onto level ground.

Tern must have shot his flaming arrow because the haunting sound of hundreds of screams filled the air as the spiders were burnt alive.

And then Tern grabbed Legolas' hand and pulled him over the edge, reaching for Farlen immediately after. Legolas in turn reached for Ava, before grabbing his bow and shooting the few spiders who had managed to crawl out before they could set a blaze to the forest.

The fire was hot and so their deaths were quick, all things considered.

They all sat in stunned silence, and then Legolas was unable to withhold his enthusiastic laughter, "I can't believe that worked!"

Ava leaned her head against his arm, her own relieved laughter escaping, "Me either."

Farlen flopped into the ground, "Your father is going to kill us."

This only made them laugh harder.


	63. Jealous

"Ava!" She turned away from him mid-sentence, towards the sound of the voice and watched as Marlern jogged to catch up, "Can I talk to you in private for a moment?"

Ava didn't even glance back at Legolas before saying, "Of course," she was already walking away when she tossed, "I'll be back," over her shoulder.

He scrutinized the encounter and tried to keep his face passive. Even if he felt anything _but_ passive. It was no secret to almost anybody with eyes that Marlern had long held deep feelings for Ava.

Marlern seemed nervous, fidgeting notably and hardly maintaining eye contact. It was over in practically two minutes. To his own disappointment, Marlern didn't look disappointed.

They parted in separate directions and Legolas fell back into step with her and they continued on their way, "What was that about?"

"He invited me to the summer solstice as his date."

He tried not to choke on his tongue, "And what did you say?"

She briefly flicked her eyes to him, hearing the change in his tone anyways, "That I would have an answer for him tomorrow morning."

It felt as though his blood raised several degrees and he crossed his arms to keep from fisting his hands, "What do you plan on saying?"

This time he felt the full weight of her gaze, and the accompanied fire within it.

His ears echoed his own words from a few weeks before: " _I don't love you anymore. Not that way."_

She had looked at him then the same way she looked at him now: " _I don't believe you."_

"I don't see why it should matter to you, Legolas." He stopped in his tracks and she rounded to face him, "Or does it matter to you?" She crossed her arms in mimic of him.

His heart leapt in his chest and he tried to ignore it. He always tried to ignore it. It was easier that way, less painful.

He swallowed the burning, "No."

She stormed away without another word.

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

"Legolas!" He jumped and turned startled eyes to his father.

"Sorry, Ada. Did you say something?"

Thranduil raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair, "I've said many things, but quickly stopped when I realized you were having a glaring contest with your dinner. I'm not sure what intimidating an apple is going to accomplish you."

Legolas looked back down at his plate breifly and realized he also seemed to not have touched a thing, "I was just thinking."

"About Marlern asking Ava to the solstice?"

He narrowed his eyes at his father,"How did you know about that."

He waved a wave airly, "I know everything that happens in my forest."

"Galion?" Legolas guessed, "Or the Trees."

"Both, if you want me to be honest."

"Ugh," Legolas threw his hands up in disgust and then slumped in his chair.

"He _also_ told me that you and Ava have hardly seemed to speak to one another for weeks."

Legolas glared at his father instead of his dinner, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Good. Then I will talk and you will listen, makes it easier to make my point."

"Oh Valar." He slumped further.

Thranduil reached across the table and took one of Legolas' hands, "Don't let the hurts of my heart keep happiness from yours."

"What does that even mean? I thought you were making a point."

"And I thought you weren't going to talk? _My point,_ my stubborn Greenleaf, is that sometimes there's no other choice than to look directly at the thing that scares you and towards it screaming."

"Can we _please_ stop talking about this?" Legolas asked miserably.

Thranduil let go of his hand, "As you wish, my son."

 **0o0o0o**

Galion knocked gently on his door but entered without an answer since it wasn't closed all the way anyways, sandwich and fruit in hand.

He came to stand silently in front of Legolas and waited for him to move his sketchpad off his lap so he could plop the plate there. "I figured you wouldn't have eaten much today."

Against his will his stomach growled, "Thank you, Galion."

He touched him on the top of the head, "You are welcome, my little prince. For what it's worth, I think it's important to remind you that your father would have never, ever, regretted his time with your mother even if it had not gifted you to us."

"I'm glad everyone has an opinion on my love life."

Galion hugged a laugh and knelt down, "We have an opinion on your happiness, and right now you're gambling with it permanently over a temporary problem. The world cannot be dark forever. You will not always have the same fears you have now, and some things that seem impossibly difficult now will be more effortless than breathing. You two have always been good at solving puzzles together, start looking at your fears as a puzzle."

He kissed him in the forehead, "Goodnight, my little prince. Sleep well."

 **0o0o0**

It was nearing sunrise when he found himself in front of her door, knocking on it before he could talk himself out of it.

After a few moments she opened it, looking like he had just woken her up. She crossed her arms upon seeing him, "Yes?"

"Can I come in? I want to say something and I don't think I can say it in the hallway."

She stepped aside and he entered, closing the door behind him. "You're right I lied. Im I'm love with you. I'm so in love that sometimes its hard to breath. When you're sad I would do anything to make you laugh, and when you're scared, honestly, I would fight a Balrog if it would soothe them. You're perfect in every single way and I'm thankful everyday to have the privilege of even knowing you well enough to be in love, but I'm so scared, Ava."

He didn't know his hand were shaking until she took them, "Not just for me but for you because Nana did not… did not deserve what they did to her. But they did it because of how much Ada loved her. So please, _please_ , can you just wait? For me? For a time when we don't have to try and squeeze happiness in between endless tragedy?"

She looked as if she might cry, but managed a laugh, "That's a very extravagante way to ask me not to go"


	64. Quite

**For Lstephenson; thank you for all of your amazingly kind and encouraging words.**

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

The door to his study was pushed open without a knock, and Thranduil looked up expecting to find Galion in the doorway, but instead found a small elfling wrapped tightly in his favorite blanket.

Without a word he opened his arms invitingly, and Legolas dashed across the room and leapt into them without a second's hesitation, burrowing into them with a relieved sigh. Thranduil tightened his arms and rested his head on top of Legolas', "You're up very early, my little leaf."

Several hours before even the sun had risen to greet the day.

Legolas snuggled himself more comfortably in his father's arms, "I got lonely."

"Ahhh," He adjusted his hold so that he could hold onto his son just as securely with one arm, using his newly free'd hand to run it through Legolas' sleep mussed hair, "Well that's no good."

"No, it isn't." Legolas agreed, "I went to see Galion first but he snores too loud."

Thranduil laughed and kissed the top of Legolas' head, "Yes. He does."

"Its like he breaths tiny little thunders."

"Sometimes if you roll him over, he'll stop."

"He's so big! How am I supposed to roll him over all by myself?"

"I suppose that's a fair point."

Legolas yawned, "Can I stay here with you while you work? If I stay quiet and don't interrupt? Please?"

"Of course you can stay." With one final kiss to the top of his son's head, Thranduil turned back to his work, absently humming whatever tune or song came to mind while Legolas drifted between dreams.

Not long after, Thranduil looked up as one of his advisors entered the study, watching with a purposefully blank expression as his visitor took in the sight of the elfling sleeping peacefully in his arms.

Grandesh hesitated, and Thranduil raised an eyebrow while also narrowing his eyes with a silent warning.

It was no secret how little their beloved prince had been sleeping since the loss of his mother and their home.

Grandesh opened his mouth as if he thought he might speak, but then paused with a fearful flick of his eyes back to Legolas when he gave a slight stir. His mouth clamped shut again, and he frowned slightly, Thranduil continued to observe his crisis of indecision.

The counselor cast his eyes around the room looking for something and Thranduil began to softly rock Legolas back into a deeper sleep.

Turning his eyes back to his sleeping prince, Grandesh frowned a little but then waved a hand absently in the air in a silent dismissal of himself and then fled back out of the room without a word.

 **0o0o0o0o000o**

When Legolas woke suddenly in his bed and Thranduil knew it was not because he had made any noise returning home, but because he had sensed his arrival even in sleep. Usually his presence was not enough to wake his son, usually the contrary, but Legolas would have been waiting anxiously for his return since the day he left.

Tenfold for everyday he was late.

He had blown out all the candles Legolas had left burning for him and so he was confident that Legolas could not see his face silhouetted against the moon the way it was, but just as his silence had made little difference neither would that. Legolas would be able to taste the quietness hanging around him like a blanket with every breath.

The quietness that haunted him like a ghost if he wanted it to or not. The quietness that probably kept all his other equally uncontrollable emotions from tearing him apart.

Foregoing his usual impossibly excited personality, Legolas lowered himself into his father's reflex born tranquility. He didn't break the silence, but he did move across his bed until there was plenty of room for Thranduil to lay with him.

Suppressing a few tears of gratitude and love that Legolas also pointedly ignored, Thranduil gratefully took up the space, the burning hole of loneliness slowly fading in his veins. His blood finally feeling like apart of him again, instead of ice.

Legolas pulled the covers up for him and moved closer now that his father was settled, took one of Thranduil's gently trembling hands and rested his head against his shoulder.

Slowly, barely heard at first, Legolas began to hum whatever song or tune seemed to come to mind and eventually it dragged Thranduil to a much needed sleep.


	65. Listening

The library was hot and stuffy, "And so, Elu Thingol banned their language."

 _The sun is so bright and warm today, after so many days of rain._

 _Yes! Yes! Warm and light on our leaves._

 _So nice! If only we could stretch higher!_

"They listened in public but not in private," The blue sky glowed through the window to the left of the board.

 _The creatures are about once more to tickle our roots and branches._

 _But our favorite is missing!_

 _Yes! Yes! Come and play little prince! Come and play!_

 _We will show you all kinds of amazing things!_

 _And you will meet new friends!_

 _Yes! Yes! New friends! Come and find them with us, little prince!_

"Legolas!"

He jumped, eyes wide and obviously startled. "Wh-What?"

He stood purposefully in front of the window, "Were you listening to me?"

"They listened in public and not private."

Arms crossed, displeased, "That was six minutes ago."

Eyes downcast, "Oh."

"I will never understand why your mind is incapable of staying within your own head!"

"I'm sorry, Belroha."

"Stop apologizing if you don't intend to change your behavior."

Little hands fidgeted, uncomfortable, "I don't mean to do it! I promise! I don't even usually notice until people are yelling at me..."

 _We are sorry little prince._

 _It is our fault._

 _Very sorry! So sorry!_

"Even now!"

"I'm sorry."

"Go, away with you. I'm done dealing with this foolishness for today, and I will speak with your father later tonight."

Shoulders slumped, "Yes, Sir."

 _Come outside!_

 _Yes! Yes! Come!_

 _We will ease your sorrows! Come, come little prince!_

 _Come and play!_

 **9o9o9o9o9o9o9o9o**

Legolas didn't look up as his father showed Belroha out of their private chambers, or when he came to sit in the chair across from him.

For a while there was nothing to break the oppressive silence, "I'm sorry."

"Yes, you've said that."

"I don't know what else to say."

 _The stars are beautiful tonight, so clear and bright!_

 _It is a good night for dancing and song. Good times for good cheer!_

 _Yes! Yes!_

"Legolas." At least his father's voice wasn't harsh like his teachers was.

Out of instinct he raised his eyes to his father's, briefly forgetting his shame, "Yes?"

"Did you hear my question?"

Legolas dropped his eyes, and shook his head, "I'm sorry."

"How about an explanation instead of so many apologies."

 _So many fireflies out tonight. They tickle our leaves and light the skies!_

 _How pretty! Little stars, dancing among our leaves!_

"Eyes, please, while you think."

He did as instructed and raised his eyes to meet his father's, chewing on his bottom lip as he thought it out very carefully. He had never attempted to put it into words before.

The voices said something but he did not register the words, for once, too focused on his father's eyes, "Sometimes, it's hard to hear the words on the outside because the trees are too loud on the inside."

"And that's why you can't pay attention in your lessons? Or, most other times."

Legolas nodded shamefully, "I try my best to pay attention, Ada, I promise. But I have to sit there for so long and do nothing but listen and the voices seem to get louder and louder the longer I sit."

He had been told his attention span was much too short, but this was his first year of lessons and it was harder than he thought it would be.

"Why didn't you say something, little sunshine?"

"I don't know. I didn't know it was wrong. And then when I did know, I thought you would keep them out of my head forever and I like them. They're my friends. They keep me from being alone. I don't like to be alone."

"Nobody likes to be alone," Legolas eyes darted to the window as he caught half a sentence from the trees, his father tapped his pointer finger next to his eyes and Legolas returned his gaze, "And while hearing the trees so well is not wrong, it is also not good if it's making it hard to pay attention to anything else."

"I'm sorry, Ada."

"Do not apologize. There is no sense apologizing for things you cannot control nor change. Yet."

"What are you going to do?"

His father folded his hands together on his lap, "What do you think might be a good way to solve this problem?"

He began to twirl the tips of his hair, a nervous habit, "I - I don't know. I don't know what could make this better." Disappointed in himself and assuming his father felt the same, Legolas dropped his eyes to his lap once more.

He heard his father stand up, but didn't raise his eyes from his lap. Still feeling like he ought to be in trouble. Knowing that he should be in trouble. It was rude not to listen to your elders, even if what they were saying during the lesson was boring.

Legolas jumped when he realized his father had come to kneel in front of him, swallowing both of his smaller hands between his own, much larger ones, "And what do we do when we don't know what to do?"

Legolas thought about it, his face all scrunched up, "We ask for help?"

"Yes, sweet one. We ask for help."

"Who can we ask?"

"Well, for starters Galion. And if he does not know, we have an entire kingdom out there who would love nothing more than to help their little prince. And in the meantime, how about we postpone your lessons?"

"Ada, no!" His father raised an eyebrow at him and Legolas continued in a more acceptable inside tone, "I _like_ learning. I want to learn. I'm good and smart, I promise."

"This is not about me thinking you are not good or smart. We both know that you are. A compromise, then. You and I will work on your letters and reading after dinner every other day."

That seemed like it would be alright, Legolas thought. He would still get to learn _and_ spend time with his father; and he would also get the benefit of his father's patience and wouldn't get yelled at.

"Agreeable?" His father asked after giving him a while to think about it, something Legolas always appreciated about his father. He was never rushed, in thinking, speaking, or even walking. One of his most comforting qualities. "

Legolas nodded a little, and said in a small voice, "Yes. That's agreeable."

His father let go of his hands and began to tickle him on his side's, "I'm sorry, little leaf, I didn't hear you. Did you say yes?"

Legolas squirmed at the assault and fought not to further react and swallow his laugh as he said, "Yes, Ada."

The fingers tickled faster, getting all of his worse spots, "I'm sorry I didn't hear you, what was that?"

Soon he had no option but burst out in laughter as the tickling continued, squirming like a worm on a hook, "Yes, Ada! YES!"


	66. Claustrophobic

Never in the two thousand or so years that he had known Legolas had he witnessed him being this withdrawn. Almost as dark and still as the (hopefully) empty mine around them. Not even Aragorn could rouse him into any sort of conversation.

But Aragorn was asleep now, along with the rest of the mortals. Legolas had not moved from where he had settled nearing seven hours ago now.

Gandalf got up, careful enough to not wake the cluster of hobbits sleeping near him or Boromir when he stepped over the man's outstretched legs comfortably close to the fire; and the hobbits.

Legolas sat near the edges of the fire's ring of light, staring out into the darkness and no doubt listening to his approach. Back straight, bow laid comfortably in his lap and arms folded overtop. Breathing evenly; purposefully.

He sat on the ground with a small grunt, and nestled his back against the base of a beautiful but headless stone statue. "Come now, Greenleaf, it does one ill to sit in their troubles alone."

A ghost of a smile appeared for a second or two before vanishing again. Looking very much like his father, though Gandalf was certain he did not intend to. It seemed with each passing visit it was easier and easier to see the King in the Prince, where once he could only see and energetic and inquisitive elfing. The weight of a crown is a heavy one.

"Did Ada ever tell you about what happened on the night Nana died?"

"No." Thranduil had always seemed to like him well enough, but it was obvious that he did not trust him.

"And the rumors you've heard?"

"I hear a great many rumors about a great many things, most I take no note and forget."

"Most." Legolas repeated back. "Most you take no note."

"I've heard one or two." He patted Legolas kindly on the knee, "Is that what is bothering you so much tonight?"

Legolas almost laughed, "How can you possibly tell it's night?"

"We can call it daytime, if you prefer. It matter not to me."

He waved a hand dismissively in the air. Expressionless he said, "The night my Nana died I was still hiding in the woods when the started setting it on fire. They took so long to leave that everything was burning before I had the chance of running. Somehow, I don't know how, I managed to run far enough to find a cave, and I hid inside, at the very back, by myself."

He blinked away the few tears that threatened to form, and Gandalf took one of his hands sympathetically. "A great tree fell in front of the doorway to keep anything bad from following me. Eventually the world outside stopped burning. I sat alone, in the dark, all night. And all day. Hoping and praying that there was a tree alive enough nearby to tell somebody that I was there. That there was anybody alive to even remember I was missing. Trying not to think about Nana, and trying not to make noise in case the Orcs came back."

"Ada found me eventually, obviously. Then I was safe." He laughed insincerely, "I'll be fine, Mithrandir, don't worry. I've just never liked small enclosed spaces after that, and no matter how big I know it is down here, that somehow only makes it feel smaller."

Like his father, Legolas did not respond well to much sympathy. Prying further into the matter would yield nothing, he had said what he wanted to say on the subject and would say no more. "When was the last time you slept?"

Legolas it blinked at him, apparently not expecting the question. To gandalf's mild satisfaction, "I do not know. I've never been good with time but down here…" He looked around the dark expanse, and then shrugged after failing to find the rest of his sentence.

"Come lay down by Aragorn and try to sleep. You will feel better when you wake." Legolas looked skeptically at him, "You will also have peace for a few hours."

With an accepting but defeated sigh Legolas got to his feet, reaching down to pull Gandalf to his. Together they made their way back to the rest of the fellowship, this time stepping over Aragorn's legs on the other side of the fire.

Gandalf settled himself nearby with his staff, settling him for his watch. Legolas, as instructed, got comfortable between him and Aragorn. The man woke briefly at all of the movement near him, disgruntledly reaching over to Legolas' pack to retrieve his blanket and throw it across the elf, before closing his eyes with sigh.

Legolas smiled a good and genuine smile at his friend, before adjusting the man's own covers to his satisfaction.

Gandalf searched the back of his mind to find any Sindar lullabye's he could remember enough of the words from. When his search came up emptier than he would have liked, he settled for humming the tunes instead. One's he knew he had heard Thranduil hum to his son on several occasions. Legolas gave him one startled but impressed.

Thankfully, within several minutes the poor thing was sleep.

… **.**

 **Hi!**

 **Sorry it's late!**

 **Hope you enjoyed, can't wait to hear from you!**


	67. Throne

**Hi!**

 **Sorry it was late again this week, in working two jobs right now and working 16 hours days so it's been taking me a bit longer**

 **Anyways!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

He walked into the throne room behind his ever serious escort, he knew their names, somewhere in his brain. Probably. But had quite forgotten them, or perhaps merely misplaced.

It mattered very little, Gandalf knew, because Thranduil had yet to forgive him for his part to play with the dwarves and the dragon. And so the Silvan people would not either; for they followed the lead of their King unfailingly in every aspect. It seemed likely the only reason Thranduil had even granted the request was because it had come from Radagast.

Thranduil, shockingly, had always seemed to like Radagast. Which, logically, went against almost every single thing he knew about Thranduil.

Perhaps it was because of how well his elves like the wizard, especially his son.

A laugh rippled through the throne room although no words had been spoken. He knew that Radagast could hear the voices of the trees as well as well as any Silvan - he wondered if he could hear the souls voice of the Elvenking and his elves just as well.

To his immense disappointment Legolas was nowhere in sight. But that did not mean Thranduil did not have a cluster of warriors and friends.

As much a pack as any wolf or coyote in the forest was.

Just more dangerous. Far, far more dangerous.

Some hung or lazed in branches or roots that grew all around, some sat on the steps leading to the throne or on the actual platform. And unlike any king Gandalf had ever seen before, Thranduil allowed one to half sit and half lean against the arm of his throne while another lazed in Legolas' vacant chair with his long legs thrown over the side.

But then, Thranduil did not need a throne to be powerful; a throne is merely a chair if you care little for what it offers you. A bear is just as likely to kill you with one bite outside of its den as in it.

He wondered if the pack had come just to watch their king talk to him, or if this was a common occurrence. This, familiar lingering.

He wondered many things about the Woodland Realm, but mostly he wondered about what really happened and what they were really like when nobody else was around to witness it.

Did Thranduil even use his throne at all with his own people? Or was it more informal? Or perhaps the trees would bring their concerns to him before the elves even had a chance.

Somehow, Legolas always managed to say hardly a thing about his home, not really. Even when it sounded like he willingly answered all the questions.

"Radagast," Thranduil said by way of greeting, "I think you forgot to mention something, or rather, _someone_ , in your message."

Gandalf, as instructed, kept his mouth shut.

"Did I? Oh dear me, it must have slipped my mind. I'm always doing that, forgetting things or mixing them up. I don't know why I'm explaining it to you, you know it as well as any. Better than many, I suppose."

Thranduil held up his hand for him to stop with an exasperated shake of his head.

An _amused_ shake of his head.

Gandalf could hardly believe his eyes, even Saruman did not have patience for Radagast.

Ice blue eyes turned to him then - he wondered if those eyes ever looked warm, or if they always inflicted frostbite - and Thranduil scrutinized him closely, "You must have a good reason for coming here, Mithrandir."

"I come on behalf of Gondor, a human kingdom-"

"And what do we care about human kingdoms?" Thranduil interrupted, nearly growing taller without even moving. "When they care for us not at all? Unless they want something."

"It is but a small favor."

"It is always a 'small' favor."

Radagast took a few steps closer to the the throne, much bolder than Gandalf would have ever dared to be. "When the Necromancer was driven from Dul Guldur, he returned to his old home in Mordor."

"What does that have to do with us?"

"He has continued to use the spider venom as poison for his orcs to dip their blades and arrows."

The elves exchanged glances in silence.

The Elleth leaning against the arm looked as if she might say something, but thought better of it after a glance from Thranduil. "And what do you need of us, then, Mithrandir."

"I know long ago you developed an anti-venom that can save the lives of both elves and men alike. I have heard of you saving the humans of Laketown and Ravenhill."

Thranduil merely stared unblinkingly, so he continued, "I'm asking for you to give the recipe to me so that I might share the knowledge to help ease their suffering. I'm asking you to have pity for those who know the same suffering as your people."

"We can give you the recipe, but it will do you no good without the plant from which it comes."

"Then you can tell me where-"

"It grows deep in the mountains, and in other equally dark and cursed places. None are easy to get to. Most would be impossible for you without a guide. Many would probably be the end of you."

Gandalf was about to talk again, but Radagast put a hand on his arm to still him, "I'm sensing more to your words, King Thranduil."

His expression softened just a tad, and he gave an almost imperceptible nod of agreement. "It just so happens that we live deep within a mountain, and thanks to the startling dedication and care of our gardeners, we have managed to grow a small garden of them."

Radagast looked both delighted and shocked.

Casually, without a thought Thranduil lifted a hand and placed it on the Elleths back who leaned against the throne, "Ava go and fetch two healthy plants, and several seeds."

Judging by her alarmed expression, these plants were precious, "My King?"

"Go."

Without another word she slipped off the throne and scuttled swiftly down the steps and leapt nimbly from the railless walkway and into the arms of another tree. Thranduil's eyes trailed her for a few moments before he looked to the elf lounging I'm Legolas' chair, "And you Farlen can get the recipe from Rowan."

The elf vanished just as quickly, but with no complaints.

Then Thranduil turned to the wizards, "Preparing it is not easy, Mithrandir. I would imagine you will have to assist them, and even you might have to attempt it multiple times. Is that satisfactory for you?"

"Yes, thank you."

"And Mithrandir?"

"Yes?"

"An elf named Elruan died for these plants. His mother misses him greatly, and our halls are at a loss without his music and his voice. He was kind, strong, and helpful to a fault. Care for them as his sacrifice deserves."

 **0o0o0o0o**


	68. Habit

"Ada."

"Hmm?" It seemed not matter how tired he was, or how deeply he slept nothing woke him as quickly as son's voice.

"It's cold in my room, I think the fire went out. I'm not supposed to use fire."

It was so late and he was so tired, and the idea of getting out of bed was reprehensible, "Come here, then."

There was a small dips at his feet as Legolas climbed up the bedpost and ran along the mattress, scutting under the covers where Thranduil held them open for him.

He settled quickly, stopping for a moment only to kiss his father's cheek, "Love you, sweet dreams."

"I love you too."

 **0o0o0o0o**

"Can Farlen, Ava and I go swimming in the pond outside the walls? Please, Ada?"

Three sets of sad and desperate eyes that were hardly tall enough to look properly over the desk to bore into him, "And what is wrong with swimming _inside_ the walls?"

They exchanged glances, "We like swimming there because there's lots more fish and frogs to see. One's we haven't met before."

"Your readings?"

"Finished." They chorused together.

"Chores?"

"Finished." Legolas and Avalina said, and then they elbowed Farlen who was trapped between them.

"I'm still washing all the pots for dinner."

"Ah yes," Thranduil said with a small smile, Galion did not liked to be lied to, some elfing had to learn the hard way. "I had forgotten about that. Yes, very well. Home for dinner."

"Thank you!" They all called as two ran for the door.

Legolas however came around his father's desk and leaned on his tiptoes as Thranduil leaned down so he could kiss his father's cheek, "Love you, I'll see you at dinner."

"I love you too, my little leaf, be safe."

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Legolas was regretfully deep into a novel assigned by his instructor when Thranduil came entered his room, fully dressed in a manner he rarely was within the safe halls of their home. He closed the book. "You're going?"

"Yes." He hated when his son looked like that.

"Is Ferdan going with you?"

Thranduil sat on the edge of his bed, "As if he would allow me to leave without him."

"Good."

"I'll be home tomorrow afternoon."

"Do you promise?"

"Always." He kissed Legolas on the head, "And if I am not, for whatever reason, the tree's will tell you."

"Alright. If you say so."

Thranduil knew that Legolas was trying to not look as upset as he felt, but he had never been good at hiding his emotions. At least, not from his father. "Galion will probably come and harrass you."

Before his father stood back up, Legolas kissed his cheek. "I love you, be safe."

"I love you too, my greenleaf."

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

His office door opened without a knock, "I don't have time to stay and talk but I was in the kitchen and I saw they made these fresh and I know they're your favorite so I stole you some."

Fresh cinnamon buns were deposited next to his paperwork, warped lovingly but with obvious haste in a kitchen towel. Legolas kissed his cheek, "Alright, love you, bye. I'm late."

Even in his haste, he didn't let the door close until Thranduil called, "I love you too!"

 **0o0o0o0o**

His bedroom door cracked open and Legolas crept inside, "Are you just getting home?"

"Maybe."

"Did you have fun?"

"Yes." Legolas kissed his cheek, "Love you, sweet dreams."

"I love you, drink water before bed."

 **0o0o0o0o**

Legolas approached and stood close to his father expectantly, but with polite silence waiting for Glorfindel to finish speaking. When he did, Thranduil turned his attention to his son, "Yes?"

"Arwen and I are going for a ride in the forest before she makes Elladan's body and Elladan's head two separate things. Thought you might be interested to know. You're also welcome to come."

"I am quite comfortable here, thank you." Legolas kissed his cheek, "I love you, have fun, be safe."

"I love you too."

 **0o0o0o0o0**

"I'll be okay, Ada, go and sleep in a proper bed."

"No, thank you."

"Ada."

"Legolas."

"The healers won't let me let for another week at least, you've already been here one." Thranduil frowned at his son, and then glanced down to where part of his left arm was still black from the venom. "I'll be asleep soon anyway."

Thranduil leaned forward in his increasingly uncomfortable chair and kissed Legolas' cheek, "Then I will leave once you are asleep. Sweet dreams, I love you."

Legolas rolled his eyes, but fought a smile, "You're impossible. But I love you too."

 **0o0o0o**

Regretfully for the both of them, breakfast was over and the day was destined to begin. Legolas sighed heavily as they both got to their feet, "I've got to see some human men about seeds, I think. You?"

Thranduil thought about it for a moment, "Council meeting."

"Lucky you."

"Not sure if thats the word I would describe."

"Well, you have me." Legolas kissed his cheek and the began making for the door, "So maybe all your luck went into that. Love you, have a good day."

"I love you too."

 **0o0o0o0**

He only woke up once Legolas was climbing onto the bed, he was had been trained by the best for stealth, after all. Very gently he trembled with a toxic combination of lingering fears and andrenlin bred by dreams that refused to let you forget the thing you wanted to forget the most.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Legolas' voice was adamant in his answer as he wrapped the blankets even tighter around himself and laid so that his arm was pressed against his father's side.

"Alright." Thranduil kissed his son's head, "Then just remember that it has already past once and you survived it, and you will survived this."

Legolas was silent for perhaps two minutes, "I love you."

"I love you too."

 **O0o0o00**

 **Well. One day I'll get back to actually posting these on weekends.**

 **Cant wait to hear your thoughts!**


	69. Family

Galion watched Arwen huff herself up the stairs to the main house, vanishing down the hallway that led to her bedroom without a word to anyone.

Legolas was worryingly absent, since the two had departed together. He glanced back to where Lindir had stopped speaking mid-sentence and winced in apology, "Could we continue this later?"

"Of course."

Without a thought he went up and over the railing, trusting the trees to position a branch so that it he could easily reach and swing himself along. Following the pull and whispers from the trees who took it upon themselves to direct Galion towards his prince.

Unsurprisingly, he found him sitting small and snug in the branches of a tree that had sprouted from Thranduil's buried crown. One of two that had been planted in Imladris

Galion made himself comfortable on the branch across from Legolas, "Hello little Prince."

His knees were drawn to his chest with arms folded over top and head resting on them, feeling very much like Thranduil when he was angry about something but trying not to be.

"What happened? It's not like you to fight with Arwen."

The twins, certainly. But never Arwen. The Two were far more likely to fight against the twins _together_.

"It was stupid."

"Yes, well, fights with friends often are." Legolas sighed with frustration, and Galion touched his elbow, "There's no rush, take your time to find the words."

He sighed again but this time more of a laugh, but still gave Galion an appreciative glance. To ease even more of the pressure, Galion began to count how many acorns he could see hanging from the branches.

A watched pot never boils and a scrutinized Legolas never spoke.

He had found twenty three acorns when Legolas finally said, "I don't even remember exactly what she said, something about her grandparents. Again. She won't come to Greenwood next summer, again, because she would rather go to Lothlorien, again."

"And then I got upset, because I never have anything to contribute when she talks about all of her family. And I got more upset because it's cruel of me to be angry with her for loving her grandparents and wanting to see them."

Legolas scowled at nothing in particularly and muttered venomously "I don't remember what I said either, but I'm certain it sounded different to her than it did in my head… and then she told me to stop being jealous of her family just because I don't have one of my own."

At this point, Galion felt the need to smoothly interject, "Which isn't true, Legolas, you know that."

"I do." He laid his head sideways on his arms, "I have Ada and you at the very least."

"You have many more than that. A family does not have to be blood, it's just the people in your life who love you as much as you love them, who care and support you the best they can." Galion smiled at his own thought, "Although, by that definition, all of Greenwood is your family."

"I'm fine with it if they are."

"Arwen didn't mean what she said, Legolas. Just as I'm sure you didn't mean what you said."

"I know, it just hurt."

Galion gently pulled a stray leaf from Legolas' hair, "That's understandable."

The trees warned them of two approaching bodies, Arwen and Glorfindel. The Balrog slayer must have noticed the disturbance in the valley the same as Galion.

"Are you alright talking to her?"

Legolas smiled a little, "Yes. Thank you Galion."

Judging by his tone, Legolas was referring to much more than just coming to sit with him today. He leaned across the small gap and kissed Legolas on his only exposed cheek, "Always, little prince."

Then Galion fled to give the two time to talk in private, dropping next to Glorfindel as he made his way back to the house.

Glorfindel smiled at him, "At this rate, you and I will never need to have kids of our own."

"No," Galion agreed, "No we won't. And if we do, we''ll already have _lots_ of practice.

 **0o0o09**


	70. Mood

Galions walked into the shared sitting room attached to Legolas and Thranduil's bedrooms to find a very exasperated caretaker sitting alone reading a book.

She closed it with a snap and a sigh, "He's in a mood today. Doesn't want anything to do with me."

Galion smiled with sympathy, "You can go home. I'll take care of him now."

"As you say, Galion. I hope he is happier with you." Quickly, she was gone.

To say that Legolas was in a 'mood' was perhaps one of the least helpful things she could have told him. Legolas was always in a mood, of one sort or another.

That was like saying 'Thranduil's upset about something,' because as far as Galion could tell, Thranduil had come out of the womb complaining about the colors of the walls.

While Legolas was always in a mood of some kind, and Thranduil was always upset, the little one was happiest with his father and Thranduil could never be upset around his little leaf.

But Thranduil was not here, and so instead Galion walked over to Legolas' bedroom door and knocked softly before opening without waiting for an answer. Legolas laid on his side, wrapped up in one of Thranduils cloaks, with his stuffed toy in the shape of an elk pressed to his chest.

Oh. So he was in _that_ mood.

"Hello, little prince." Unsurprisingly, Legolas just stared at him without saying a word, not even acknowledging his presence in the slightest.

But Galion was not deterred, and he crossed the room to scoop Legolas into his arms, taking care to ensure he was still wrapped snugly in the cloak.

Legolas for his part seemed content as he was carried back to the hallway and eventually outside and into the forest, to the base of some of his favorite trees.

There, bathed in the late afternoon sun and chirping birds Galion sat with Legolas on his lap, wrapped both in the cloak and his arms.

They sat together in the company of the forest and each other a while before Galion asked, "why so sad today?"

Legolas sighed, "I had a dream about Nana, and I miss her. And Ada isn't even here to help make it hurt less."

He kissed the elfling on the head, "I'm sorry, little prince." Legolas shrugged, "At least your Ada is home tomorrow."

Legolas nodded without a word, no doubt wishing that Thranduil hadn't needed to leave in the first place and Galion tightened his arms, and rested his cheek on top of the elflings head.

"Do you want to hear about the time your Ada got bit by a huge lizard because he embarrassed himself in front of your Nana and tried to hide in a pond?"

Suddenly, every once of his usual energy appeared once more and Legolas jumped in his arms, scrambling to get a better look at Galions, "Is that where the bite scar in his ankle is from?"

"One of them, I think the other is from Ferdan."

Blue eyes got wider, "Can you tell me that one too?"

"Can I get through the first one first?"

Legolas laughed, and the trees sang to hear it, and then he settled in Galion's lap again, "Yes, sorry."

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

He only woke up when Legolas shifted next to him in the grass, both now covered with the cloak.

A delighted tiny voice woke the clearing, "Ada!"

And then the prince was gone, running to where his father's arms waited for him. Galion blinked sleepily from he still laid, noticing that Thranduil was suspiciously clean, even if he had only be gone for two days.

Freshly clean.

He never washed before finding Legolas, unless he had something to hide from him. Like blood. "Alright?"

Thranduil cradled his son close, and took a few deep breaths. Chances were, he needed that hug as much as the prince. "Yes. We're going to bed, are you coming inside?"

"How long until sunrise?"

Thranduil adjusted his grip on Legolas, "Two hours?"

"Leave me here, the weather is nice. But take your cloak back, and we're going to have a problem."

He smiled and kissed the top of Legolas' head, "Keep the cloak forever for all I care, I have what I came for."

 **0o0o0o0**

 **Omg look at me posting on the actual weekend.**

 **Told you it was going to happen!**


	71. Jewlery

**For Kat-Anni**

 **Happy birthday! I hope it was amazing and you got to spend it doing something that makes you happy. Thank you so much for all your warm thoughts, I'm forever thankful**

 **0o0o0p**

Legolas stepped out of his bedroom and Aragorn couldn't help but stare.

He had never really seen Legolas outside of his simple clothes of greens and browns. Seeing him in such a bright but deep blue was almost enough to stun him into silence, but seeing his hair loose and free of braids with a circlet resting on top certainly was.

It was usually not in the forefront of his mind when he saw or spoke to Legolas that he was Prince Legolas, only son and heir of King Thranduil, the last ElvenKing on Arda.

But seeing him now, he could hardly think of anything else.

"Wow."

Legolas rolled his eyes, "Don't start."

"See," Elrohir said.

"We told you." Elladan finished.

Aragorn genuinely did not know what to say for a moment and then settled on another, "Wow."

Legolas threw his hands up "Eru save me."

"You look _so_ much like your father."

"I always look like my father," he snapped.

Elrohir held his hands up in defense, "Alright, calm down now. No need to act like him too."

Legolas turned to go back inside his bedroom, but Aragorn hopped off his perch in the railing between his brothers and caught him by the elbow, "Okay, sorry. We're done."

"This is why I hate wearing it."

Elladan scoffed, " _This_ specifically is what you hate about wearing your circlet?"

Legolas glared at him, "This is one of the _many reasons_ why I hate wearing it."

Aragorn couldn't help but ask, " How many reasons could you have?"

He should have known better than that.

"It gets tangled in my hair, it's pointless, it's literally impossible to sneak around wearing it, everybody stares at me, it gets caught on things, sometimes if I stand in the sun it blinds people."

The twins exchanged a look and Aragorn took a step back as Legolas threw his hands up in his passion of opinion, "It is nothing but a lump of metal on my head, that for some reason is supposed to be the only reason anybody respects or listens to me? Am I the only one who sees how strange that is? Why is it such a big deal? If somebody stole it and wore it, does that automatically make me worthlessness then? It one piece of jewelry that important?"

Perhaps used to his own habit of conversational tangents, Legolas stopped himself and began again. "Besides the point. It's also really irritating to have touching my face all of the time. And it startles some of the animals in the forest. Should I go on?"

"Please don't." Elrohir said, eyes wide with alarm but also looking a bit impressed.

While Elladan said, "I kind of want to see how many more he's got."

"I'm going to hit you."

"Well that's not very Prince like of you."

Regardless of his almost impossibly confident tone, Elladan slipped of the railing as well and prepared to flee when Legolas seemed to ready himself for an assault.

Smoothly, Aragorn stepped between them, "Ada said no killing each other this time."

"I'm not going go kill him, just hurt him." Legolas promised,making to move around the human.

"You touch me and I'll find a way to fasten that circlet to your head forever."

"Going to be hard to do that with no hands."

"Children." Glorfindel warned from down the hall where his own door must have been left open, probably to allow the breeze through.

They all stopped like statues.

They listened to see if the Balrog Slayer was interested enough to investigate or not; and when he wasn't they couldn't help but laugh at themselves.

Elladan's face softened, "You look good, princeling. Exactly like a person who doesn't need jewelry to be important, because every inch of the world can already feel that you are. You look like someone who's done enough for their people and the world for them to deserve to not do anything again for the rest if their life. You look exactly like someone who deserves to have their opinion be heard and valued by all the races."

Stepping forward, Elladan straightened the circlet gently, "You look like the how the rest of us know you to be, instead of hiding it under layers of green and weapons. It's good to see, is that so wrong?"

Legolas' ears turned a slight shade of scarlet, in Aragorn's experience he had never taken such sincere compliments well. "No."

"Good, then stop being so dramatic about it."


	72. Over

Eventually there was nothing left to kill. Eventually everything was either dead or had long since fled from them.

Eventually. Finally. It was over.

Thank Eru it was over.

Next to him, Celeborn seemed to have come to the same conclusion. And then slowly, the warriors around them.

"Is it…?" Farlen asked, dried and wet blood from probably too many sources to count covering at least half of him, "Is it over?"

Against his own will, his fingers seemed absolutely unable to keep the grasp on his sword and it tumbled from his grasp.

"Yes." Thranduil heard himself say, even though he honestly wasn't even sure he was still inside his body. "It's over."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Avaleina's legs gave out beneath her. Now that he had been still for so long his own reactions were slowed, he reached out with his spirit to find where the injury was.

Only to find it was everywhere. The worst wound of all; for there's nothing in the world worse for a body than complete and utter exhaustion.

Others began to fall, their bodies finally succumbing to everything they had been forced to do relentlessly for the last year of the war.

The multiple assaults on their home. Having it nearly burnt down for a second time. Saying hundreds of painful goodbyes with a moment to actually say them.

All around the forest sent waves of concern, love and appreciation. Happily searching the souls of the elves at their feet to see which were simply tired and which needed healers.

The information flooded into Thranduil's head, but he directed it to the mind of another. Somebody who was actually in charge of their own body at the current moment.

Celeborn looked incredibly startled for only a moment, before he set his own warriors to work to help those of Greenwood. Thranduil could feel Galadriel's interest raking through the information with equal care and attention.

The trees had trusted the Avari leaders to share their information without Thranduil having to direct it himself.

Over.

It was finally over.

Those left standing began to weep in an indistinguishable combination of joy, relief, and unbelievable sorrow.

Whispering to one another, "Over. It's over."

Somebody came to stand before him, strong bands taking hold of his elbows to stop the minor sway he hadn't even realized he had, "Thranduil?"

A measure of warmth and strength flowed back into him from where Celeborn gripped his arms, a semblance of himself was stirred back to life. Allowing his mind to wander to the exact same place it always did when it had nowhere else to be, "Do you think Legolas is still alive?"

"There is not a single doubt in my mind." The from confidence was comforting, even if Thranduil wasn't certain it was as sincere at sounded. "He has too much of his father's stubbornness and tireless resolve. Aragorn and the Dwarf will keep him from drifting too far towards the stars or wherever else his heart pulls him."

"Dwarf?"

Celeborn smiled, "A conversation for another time."

Nearly against his will his eyes closed, taking endless pleasure of the wonderfully and achingly empty forest. He couldn't remember the last time he hadn't had felt the darkness pressed against his border and spirit, leaching cold hate wherever it touched.

But now the forest was warming again.

"Thranduil?"

With a great amount of effort his eyes opened again, and found Celeborn looking more concerned than Thranduil would have liked, "I will be alright."

"Certainly, however might I suggest in the meantime, we find you somewhere to lay down near the rest of your warriors. We will take care of your people while you rest."

Thranduil found himself laughing at that, though it wasn't really all that funny; it was very unlikely that any of the Woodland Realm would follow the lead of Galadriel and Celeborn.

Before at least having the dignity to alert him they were there, several tears slipped from his eyes and all Thranduil could do was laugh again, "I'm not entirely confident I can even move my legs right now."

Celeborn was not deterred, he was no stranger to the uniquely various effects of war, "Together, then. We have the time."

"Because it's over."

Celeborn moved his hands from his arms to his face, "Yes, my dear Oropherion it's over. You and your people made it, I will never understand how, but you made it."

 **0p0o0o0o**

 **Sorryyyyyyyyyyyyy this was so late.**

 **Oops.**


	73. Bend

You are not alone.

It has been many years since we have gone for a walk together, Thranduil. King and protector of my trees and everything within.

I could sense your hope that I would come even from the shores I usually reside upon. My brother, Manwë, has been clearer than ever with our rule to not interfere with the happenings on Arda.

But I have bent the rules for you before. And I will bend them again, and if my brother has noticed he does not say anything. Or perhaps he already knew with the same certainty as I that I would come once I heard it was your son who joined the ring bearer.

You cannot see me, but you know I am here. I have not forgotten you. You are not alone.

You are lonely, Thranduil. Tired.

As much joy as my children get from having me walking among then, their concern and focus is on you. It has been since the awakening since they have grown to love any creature of flesh as much as they love me.

I search for all the darkness swirling in your thoughts; the ones you are aware of and the ones you are not.

You do not need to speak for me to know why you wished me here. To hear the troubles of your mind, and ache in your heart.

I understand you, Thranduil. I cannot fix it, but I can understand. You are not alone, even though the one who usually knows your thoughts as well as you yourself is so far from where you want him to be.

You are sad. You are angry. You feel forgotten.

I am sad for you and your people, for how you have suffered due to the stubborn arrogance and blind ambition of others. I am angry at our own inability help steer Fëanor and his like into shallower and cleaner waters within themselves.

I am sorry there is nothing more I can do to help. I cannot change, I cannot council and I cannot interfere.

But I can walk beside you in these trees that love you so dearly, and allow you to drop the walls you hold so stiffly around yourself. I can support the trees and the lives within for a breath of time to let you rest.

To let you grieve, and anger, and feel anything else you need to feel with the freedom of knowing it will not matter or effect anyone or anything around you.

Together we walk.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

You are not alone.

The only times I have been called to your side, Legolas son of Thranduil, is when you are beneath the treetops of the forest that cradles you like a loved child.

But you are not beneath your trees now, yet this forest seems to be troubled by your heartbreak the same as your own.

So sympathetic they are to you that I felt the crack within this Golden Wood regardless of the Ring and it's bearers intent on keeping everything hidden. From everything.

I sense the keen interest of Artanis, daughter of Finarfin, as I breath into the forest she claims to rule. Like you, she cannot see me.

But like you, she is well aware I am here.

Your heart is troubled and swirling with regrets and unfinished thoughts. I cannot help but smile at the similarities of feelings and patterns between you and your father.

My brothers and sisters and I have long known that things of flesh often attempt to copy the echoes of past generations, but you and your father always seemed like echoes to me.

You do not like this forest, you miss your own. You second guess your choice to come and your value to this fellowship.

I am not supposed to interfere or alter. But I have bent the rules before and they did not break.

You worry that your father is angry, or worse, dead. You feel forgotten here, unimportant and undervalued. You are angry at the people here, angry how unaffected they are by Melkor's darkness that chokes your own home. You are sad.

You feel alone.

I do not know what it is about you and your people that draw me in as such, but I look within myself and recall all the similar swirling of emotions I bottled from your father, and I push them against you.

You calm.

Your steps slow and your eyes drift shut, wallowing yourself in the crystal clear depths of your father's heart. Wrapped around you lovingly like a blanket.

I understand you. Your worries and your angers. I understand the burden that leaves your shoulders trembling.

I cannot interfere. I cannot change. But I can bend.

You are not alone.

Together we walk.

 **0o0o0o0**

 **POV from Yavanna (goddess of everything that grows.)**

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	74. Favorite

Galion caught movement out of the corner of his eye as Thranduil shifted, and he turned to see if that meant he was needed. He was, just not by Thranduil. The king gently placed Legolas on the ground, ensuring that his blanket was properly tied around his shoulder so that it wouldn't get lost in transport, "He's back there, go and see him then.."

Tiny feet made short work of the distance as Legolas dashed from where his father sat and over to Galoin, the blanket trailing behind him like a cape. Expectantly, Galion opened his arms and allowed the elfling to all but dive directly into them.

Legolas wrapped his arms around his chest, and buried his head beneath Galion's chin. In returned, Galion held him close and kissed the top of Legolas' blond head before resting his cheek on the same spot. "Hello, little prince."

Thranduil looked on to ensure that Legolas arrived at his destination, and then turned back to his own conversation with a smile.

Legolas' voice was muffled and small, but happy. Always so happy. "I haven't seen you today, I missed you."

"I missed you too. Did you have a good day?"

Legolas nodded, "Yes. The twins took me and Arwen riding in the forest."

"Did they? Well that was very nice of them, wasn't it."

"They don't tell me stories the whole time like you do, though."

Across from him, Glorfindel seemed to be enjoying the sight emmesensly, one of his hands resting over his heart at the conversation.

"Well then I guess I'll still have to be your favorite to go riding with."

"You will _always_ be my favorite, Galion."

Against his will Gallions eyes threatened to tear up at that but he blinked them away and snuggled Legolas closer, "Don't tell your father that or he might get jealous."

"That's okay. Ada is my favorite Ada. You're my favorite everything else." Suddenly energized and excited, Legolas pulled back so he could see Galions face, "I made another friend today!"

"Did you?" Galion asked, tucking some of his wild hairs out of Legolas' face, "Tell me about them."

"It was a little bluebird and her babies, a tree told me that I should come and meet them. I'm glad I did, they sang songs to me about the valley."

"That was very nice of the trees and the birds. Were the twins surprised?"

Legolas nodded again, and scrunched up his face, "Yes. They said the tree's do not speak to them. Is that true?"

"Well I certainly cannot answer for the twins, but I do not see why they would tell you something if it was not true. The tree's do not speak to all elves like the speak to us at home."

This seemed to be one of the most surprising bits of information Legolas had ever learned. His eyes were huge and round, and for several seconds he seemed unable to decide on what to say, "Really?"

"Yes."

Glorfindel took it upon himself to assure the tiny and absolutely stunned Elfling, "Its true. They usually do not speak to me, either."

Legolas turned in his lap so that he could face Glorfindel, scooting back again so that his back was pressed against Galion's chest, "Why? Are they mad at you? Did you hurt them?"

Glorfindel laughed and shook his head, "No, I don't think so. Though, perhaps you would be the correct person to ask them since they speak to you."

Galion could feel Legolas reaching out for the tree's and he likewise grew more still in his lap. The tree's rang with delight throughout the city, and Legoas returned his attention back to their conversation. "No. They aren't mad at you. They say you are one of their favorites, they like when you and Arwen play and talk in their branches."

"Well that's good to know."

Legolas seemed to be still in the midst of processing this new information. "Don't you get lonely?"

Glorforfindel shrugged, "I suppose sometimes I do, but then I can just go and find a friend to sit with. Doesn't it get too loud in your head?"

The elfling nodded after significant thought, "Yes, sometimes it's hard to listen to people talking because the tree's have so much they want to say to me. But then I usually go and find Galion or Ada and they're good at making quiet again."

Glorfindel laughed a little, "That's good. Although I'm not sure if I've ever seen your Ada be quiet."

"You must not know him very well," Legolas said simply, and Galion tried not to choke on his suppressed laugh at the bluntness, "Ada is quite a lot, he is very good at listening. He makes it easy for me to talk."

The Balrog Slayer just looked further endeared by this, "That is good. It should be easy to talk to your Ada, and your favorite."

Galion smiled, knowing he was the referred to favorite and blew a gentle raspberry on the elflings cheek, not entirely surprised when his near shriek of laughter brought the attention of many around them. "It's only because you're my favorite too, little prince."

Legolas blew a raspberry back on Galions cheek, "Don't tell Ada, he might get jealous."

"He'll get over it."

 **0o0o0o0o**

 **It's actually in time this weekend! Look at me go!**

 **Sorry about all the weird confusion, my account on here is being a little wonky with uploading and posting things. Sorry guys!**


	75. Cloud-watching

Arwen saw her brothers walking up the steps towards the house and rushed to meet them at the door, "Where's Legolas?"

Elladan shrugged, "Don't know. He vanished when we returned to the stables without a word to either of us, probably got distracted by a tree or a bird or something. He'll turn up."

Arwen frowned but Elladan walked past her without a glancing notice and into the house. But Elrohir came to a stop in front of her and smoothed the crease forming between her eyes with his thumb, "What's wrong, little sister?"

"Legolas. He's been so off lately. Different than he should be."

"Different how?"

"Just," She struggled to find a way to explain it to him properly. To explain how his smile didn't reach his eyes and his laugh didn't make the trees dance. How she hadn't once heard him sing to the stars since he arrived, and how he had shown almost no interest in the hall if fire even though it was usually his favorite place to be. "Different."

Most elves probably would have brushed off her horribly articulated concerns, but never her brothers, and especially not Elrohir. "I'm worried about him Ro."

"Okay." He said, turning back from the house and back down the steps, "Let's go find him then."

Arwen dashed down the steps after him, holding tightly to her dress so that it wouldn't bunch at her feet at trip her. "Really?"

"Yes," Elrohir said with a gentle touch of humor even though his face remained the same, " You know him better than anyone else in this valley, if you say something is wrong, then I believe you."

She struggled for a good response but settled with, "Oh. Thank you."

"You're King Thranduil's favorite for a reason."

"I'm his favorite because I've never broken any of Legolas' limbs nor lost him, twice, while babysitting."

Elrohir gave her a half hearted glare, "He deserved that broken arm and if King Thranduil knew just how sneaky his son was then he shouldn't have left us in charge of the little rat to begin with."

"He isn't little anymore, you are no longer taller than him and Legolas can look you fully in the eyes. So at the very least, he's a regular sized rat."

"If he can look me in the eyes, I do believe if is safe to say that he's almost anything but a regular sized rat."

She rolled her eyes and bumped her hip into his with a laugh, "Why do you always have to have the last word."

"Because Elladan always gets the first so it's only fair."

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Eventually they found him, with some not-so-subtle hints from the trees to send them in the right direction. The hints being a trial and error sort of direction with acorns or berries being dropped on their heads when they turned down the wrong path.

Typical.

Legolas sat with his feet dangling in the near frigid waters of the mountain runoff, leaning back leisurely on his hands to admire the clouds. He didn't so much as glance at them as they carefully skipped across the rocks that lead to the small island rock he had settled on.

Arwen removed her shoes and took it upon herself to sit to Legolas' right side, so close that their legs and shoulders touched, obviously ignoring the glare from her brother the moment her feet touched the ice water.

Elrohir sat on his left with his back rested against part of the rock and crossed legs facing the two of them instead of the stream.

When he still did not respond, Arwen leaned her head against his shoulders and let him keep staring at the clouds, "What's wrong?" He didn't say anything, and it didn't appear as if he planned to either. "You can tell us, I swear."

"I know I _can_ tell you, I just don't know yet if I want to." Regardless, he looked away from the sky and sat up straight, his hands coming to rest near his knees.

Arwen kept her head on his shoulder, but moved her arm around his and laced their fingers together, "Why would you not want to?"

He adjusted his feet in the water so that all the loose rocks that hadn't been washed away covered the scars that curled up from the bottoms, "Because there is nothing you can say to make it better, and I know there isn't. But I know you're going to try anyways, because you're caring people and everyone always tries to say something. But I hate it, and I don't want you to. Everything just makes it worse."

But Elrohir wasn't phased by this in the slightest by this deterrent, "So we won't say anything."

"Not one thing." Arwen agreed readily.

Legolas didn't look convinced, "Then what will you do?"

Elrohir shrugged, "If it's what you want we can sit here in complete silence for the next nine hours excpt to point out the shape of a cloud."

Arwen nodded her agreement this time, a silent and demonstrated promise of their silence. Legolas sighed and his shoulders slumped a little and Arwen squeezed his fingers.

"It's the anniversary of my Nana's death. I know that was long ago now, but my heart always gets that cold and dark feeling and if I don't pay enough attention to ignoring it I can feel how the coals and the fire burnt my feet. I will be alright, it will pass as it always does. But trying to be 'Legolas' is just...not something I can be right now. I just need to sit here, and be sad and sorry for myself for awhile."

Arwen folded her other hand over the one she was already holding and turned her gaze to the sky.

Legolas seemed relieved that they kept their promise.

Elrohir pointed a hand to the sky, "Look, that one there looks like a Turtle riding a star."

Both Legolas and Arwen frowned and titled their heads to look at it from Elrohir angle, "Oh. It does."


	76. Rematch

**Narhel makes a reappearance. If you want, he's from chapters: 11 (Nemesis) and 60 (Brawl)**

 **0.0.0**

Aragorn watched with a hawks eye as Narhel walked down the steps from the tree's to the ground. He knew Legolas was on edge enough already here in the Golden Wood, regardless of his heartache of Gandalf death, which only made everything worse.

He hadn't been old enough to see the fight in Imladris, but he had heard about it. Everytime Legolas came to visit he heard it again, and everytime Legolas didn't show a shade of remorse.

 **0.0.0.**

Gimli took his cue from Aragorn that something unfavorable was about to happen and prepared himself to stand and get involved the second the other elf entered the clearing. A second later he realised he wouldn't even have needed to take the cue anyways.

Because Legolas barked a strangely humorless laugh, "Back again?"

 **0.0.0**

He had seen Legolas angry. He had seen Legolas absolutely furious. But he had never seen his friends face slip into a mask of absolute cold hatred before.

It was a uniquely unsettling experience, that he deeply hoped to never experience again.

Ever.

Aragorn stood up and made to get between the two, "I think you should leave."

 **0.0.0**

He glanced at Boromir who had moved from the fireside to near the hobbits, as if expecting to need to protect them. After a glance at Legolas' face, Gimli decided that was probably a fair assumption.

Unsurprisingly the Aragorn had spoken to completely ignored him and continued to glare at Legolas, surprisingly he spoke in the common tongue. "I knew you were a coward, Legolas, but I didn't think even you would abandon your own people."

 **0.0.0**

He glanced away from Narhel briefly to look at Legolas, who thankfully hadn't roused himself from the low hanging branch that had been cradling him all night.

"I knew you were a pathetic excuse on Eru's behalf of making what I assume was supposed to be a creature of intelligence and substance, Narhel, but you continue to stun even me."

Aragorn choked, it looked as if Narhel nearly did as well.

 _If ever there was a time for you, Lady Galadriel, to conveniently notice and interfere, it would be now._

 **0.0.0**

"How much longer do you think they will last, hmm? Clearly not long, since you've left them to die."

Gimli got the urge to stand and interfere again, but realised how foolish that would probably be. At the very least this new elf seemed determined to fight, and Legolas seemed welcome enough to the challenge.

He had seen enough practice sparring on Legolas' behalf and combat with Orcs or Goblins that even he was certain he wanted absolutely no part in this.

Legolas' steel eyes continued to nearly glow with hate, "Go be an embarrassment elsewhere, your face nauseates me."

 **0.0.0**

To Aragorn's great surprise Narhel turned to leave. He should have guessed he had one more trick up his sleeve, or comment, as the case may be.

"I wonder what Avaliena will think when she goes to the halls, knowing that even you could not keep up the charade of hope for your people." He huffed a laugh and nearly began to ascend the stairs, "At least she has the dignity to die with your King."

 **0.0.0**

Gimli had no idea who Avaliena was, but given the name and the reaction it cause he could take a good guess. Faster than he liked to believe any creature was capable of, Legolas had launched from himself from the branch, past Aragorn and met the attack of Narhel.

At least Aragorn had the good sense to scuttle back with all haste, just in time for Legolas to go stumbling back at high velocities where the man had just been standing.

 **0.0.0**

Aragorn knew that move. Legolas, Ava and Farlen had spent two days straight teaching it to him. He tried not to smile in anticipation of what was to come.

At first he had just wanted Narhel to go away, but after his last comment, he couldn't begrudge Legolas the satisfaction of breaking his nose for a third time.

Encouraged by the 'stumble' Narhel advanced with vicious velocity. So fast that Aragorn didn't see which body part he had tried to use to attack Legoals with, all he managed to see was his friend duck fack enough the swing missed and Narhel was thrown off balance.

Legolas kicked out the only leg Narhel had on the ground and used the remaining momentum of the original attack to slam his body into the unforgiving stone walkway.

It went worse quickly for Narhel after that.

 **0.0.0**

Gimli couldn't stop himself from laughing, even as Aragorn struggled to finish the last story Especially because Legolas looked almost proud of himself for all three, and Merry and Pippin had been cackling like mad for a near two minutes.

Gimli wiped a tear from his eye and patted Legolas on the arm, "You did good Lad, you did good."

"Don't encourage him." Aragorn managed, still struggling against his own laughter, "I can still remember the horror in Ada's eyes when Glorfindel brought it up last time, I don't think the bystanders would survive a fourth fight."

 **0.0.0**

Thranduil scanned down the letter, drinking in every drop of information about his son that he could. Its arrival had been a great surprise, since he hadn't heard anything from Celeborn directly in long enough he would have to ask Galion for the actual years.

He had started from the top four separate times before he reached the bottom of the letter so that it wouldn't be over. That it wouldn't stop that feeling that Legolas was back at home, even just for a few more seconds.

Eventually he had to finish the letter, eventually it had to be over. And then he couldn't help but laugh, because scrawled at the bottom was a small tally sheet .

Legolas | Narhel

III | 0

 **0o0o0o00o00o0**

Thanks for reading! Can't wait to hear your thoughts!


	77. Engagement

Her hands combed through his hair with no particular purpose, braiding and unbraiding at random. The music of the celebration seemed a dull buzz in the background, so unimportant he hardly even registered that.

All he could feel was her fingers.

Most of their friends had gone to bed, or were too drunk to sit still for this long, and they were alone.

Just like they liked it.

With a sly smile he checked to make sure nobody was paying attention to them, they weren't. Quick before she could react he turned his head and kissed her.

And then turned back around when she laughed, she leaned forward so her stomache was pressed against his back, "The wine has made you bold, my Prince."

A title hardly used, especially not between them. But it was a reminder of why nobody could know.

Not yet.

Love was dangerous these days. Especially in these woods. They couldn't love.

Not yet.

"Will you marry me?"

Her hands stilled and this time he swung his entire body around on the stump he was sitting on, her hands slid to his shoulders. "Yes."

His hear nearly soared to the clouds and he tried not to let his smile split his face in half, "Good."

* * *

Another Elleth asked him to dance. Another hopeful suitor he just wanted to go away. He had no interest, his heart was long since taken.

But he could not say that. Not yet.

And so he danced, and so did she. But not with each other.

Not yet.

That wouldn't happen until later when she snuck into his room, and then they would dance all they like to whatever sing the forest wanted to play that night.

He could feel her eyes, sense the hint of a fear lingering. Once the music stopped he excused himself, politely declining the next dance and claimed to need a drink.

He walked to the table she had settled near. The music was loud and his people were happy, nobody would hear. Regardless, he still nearly whispered it into her ear, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

* * *

It was not often they fought, but then they did it was always bad. Terrible in every way it could be.

Her back was to him but even then he could tell her arms were crossed. He still at on the edge of the bed.

They weren't done fighting about this. Not by a long shot, not yet.

"Will you marry me."

She still didn't look at him. Not yet. "Yes."

* * *

They were crouched in treetops, his back pressed against the bark and nearly wedged solidly between two thick branches in an attempt to conceal them.

She was pressed against his chest, face buried in his shoulder to stifle whatever involuntary noises of pain were made. One of his arms held her tightly against him, the other crushed a grip on her upper arm in a way he knew was painful, but it was to slow the blood flow.

They didn't have enough anti-venom left on person to treat a wound so big, not properly.

The snapping Orcs and Snarling Wargs would pass.

They would get her help on time.

He kissed her cheek and then her temple and forehead, "Will you marry me?"

He felt her huff a laugh, even through the pain, and she nodded silently.

* * *

She slipped into his bed in the dead of night, laying her head and half her chest across his own. Automatically their legs tangled together.

He was so tired. Every inch of his body was exhausted and he didn't even have the energy to open the eyelids he was surprised to find had even closed go begin with. His arms came to hold her waist.

She sounded equally tired, "Will you marry me?"

"Always."

He felt her smile when she kissed the bottom of his jaw.

* * *

She wasn't surprised but was still disappointed when he wasn't home when she finally returned herself.

She slipped into his room anyways, his bed was much more comfortable than her own. And only almost exclusively because it smelled like him.

Waiting for her when she pulled the covers back was a ring made of a weaved from a bowstring and a strip of fabric the exact color of a newly grown Greenleaf.

They would get married one day. When this darkness was gone.

Soon. But not yet.

* * *

The birds were chirping happily in the new day sun when he woke up, he turned to the side to look at her.

His wife.

He had spent centuries asking her but it still seemed hardly really she had actually married him.

He rolled over onto her side of the bed, one arm around her waist pulling her bare back snugly against his chest.

He kissed a like down her shoulder and up her neck, she hummed happily. Once he was done he asked, "Will you marry me?"

She laughed and adjusted herself so that she was nearly laying on her back and could see his face, "I already have."

"Then marry me again, marry me a thousand times. Because I will never grow tired of asking you, and I certainly never want to stop hearing you tell me yes."

He stole what was probably going to be another laugh with a kiss, "You're ridiculous."

"Mhmm, perhaps. But you've known that for over thirty centuries." He kissed her again, because he loved her and he could.

Finally he could.

Still, he asked again, " Will you marry me?"

"Yes."


	78. Deal

"My son, Thranduil." Oropher said, gesturing to the elf standing next to him who looked enough like his father Celebrian would have known he was the son without the introduction, or the circlet on his head. "Thranduil will show you around the city and the forest while your father and I talk."

It was subtle and brief but Celebrian didn't miss the panic in his eyes even if his tone was smooth, "Thranduil will?"

"Yes." Oropher said without a glance to his son, "Thranduil will."

Celebrian her heard own father laugh from where he stood next to her and then he kissed her forehead, "Have fun, little star. I will see you later."

Ignoring her own slight misgivings about the situation she tried to give him a bright smile and kissed his cheek, "Alright Ada, I will see you later."

And then their fathers turned and walked away, the Prince rolled his eyes at his fathers turned back.

"Impolite." Came Orophers somewhat scolding tone as they began to ascend the stairs.

The two of them remained absolutely silent until they were certain the footsteps had faded completely. Thranduil cleared his throat awkwardly, "Hello."

"Hello."

The silence returned.

She could tell when she was not wanted. She was an only child of the Lord and Lady, and as such the other elfings hadn't exactly raced to include her in things considered remotely against her parents wishes. Which, to an extent she could understand. Her mother could be frightening.

But it still made her angry.

Celebrian crossed her arms, not caring her tone sounded just as crossed, "Well don't let me ruin your evening. Feel free to run off now that they're out of sight, I won't even say anything. I'll tell my Ada I had a headache."

He looked both a bit surprised and a tad offended at this continued turn of events. "And they say I'm the hostile one? Valar. I was going to just invite you to join but nevermind, enjoy your headache."

Before she could say or do anything else he turned on his heel and vanished down another set of stairs.

Celebrian sighed.

 **.0**

A knock came at the door and she looked up from her book with a frown. At home she would usually find some random object to use as a bookmark but this was not her book, and so she carefully noted the page number and closed the book.

Not bothering to put shoes on eh walked to open it, stunned to find Prince Thranduil standing there. "How's your headache?"

She stood a little straighter, "Its gone. Thank you for asking."

"That's good. I was going to invite you to join me in tonight's activities, on one condition."

She narrowed her eyes, "Whats the condition?"

"You don't tell your Ada and you certainly do not tell _mine_ anything about it. Because we're probably going to end up places we aren't supposed to go. Deal?"

Sensing a rarely offered adventure afot she wasted no time, "Deal."

And then a beautiful smile lit up his face, the likes of which she never would have expected. "Go get changed into something you can climb in. I'll wait out here, but hurry."

 **.0**

"Your late!" A voice from the bush hissed, seconds before two other young male elves appeared from it.

"Sorry, I had to get Celebrian."

She waved in a manner she hoped looked less awkward than it felt. One of the elves from the bush frowned, "Who's Celebrian?"

"Lord Celeborns daughter."

Thranduil indicated to the one who had done all the talking thus far, "Ferdan, son of Lord Belrome."

The second newcomer raised his hand before Thranduil could get to him, "I'm Galion. I dont really matter."

Ferdan snored loudly, "Then why is your ego still so big?"

Galion tossed some hair over his shoulders, "Birth defect. Nothing to be done."

Thranduil said loudly over the both of them, "These are my two dearest friends."

"And only one of us is getting paid!" Galion added brightly, laughing at Thranduil's expression. "Come on, we're going to miss everything!"

"What would we be missing, by the way?"

Somewhere in the forest a horn was blown, Thranduil took her hand to guide her as they all began running through the trees, "A scavenger hunt!"

By the time she got home late that night, she was near covered in mud and several bruises but Celeborn hadn't seen her so happy in months. So he let it slide that she was less than forthcoming about their activities.


	79. Mortality

Aragorn stood firmly in front of Legolas, cutting off his only escape. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"Why would you think I am avoiding you, Estel?" Legolas asked innocently, with a touch of confusion that was _almost_ good enough for him to believe.

"Because every time you have seen me for the past few weeks you have all but scaled the wall like a lizard to escape me. I may be mortal but i am not blind, Legolas!"

Legolas rolled his eyes, "You're being ridiculous."

"Perhaps. But I am not moving from this spot until you tell me why you are upset with me."

The elf narrowed his eyes with a silent threat, "Then I will move you."

Aragorn kept firm, "No you won't."

Legolas and his brothers had always been reluctant to use their elvish strength with him unless it was to train him. And after Aragorn figured this out, he wasn't shy about using the information to his fullest advantage.

And, if Legolas did actually physically and forcefully move him against his will just to escape being in the same room, it only proved his suspicions.

Legolas was angry with him about something.

He waited to see what would happen.

But then nothing did.

Legolas just crossed his arms and stared at Aragorn with an unflinching and unblinking gaze.

He kept waiting, and still, the elf did not move a single inch. But he did speak, "I can stand here for a long time King Elessar. An extremely long time. Several days, in fact. How about you? How long so you think you can stand there for?"

It was worse than Araogrn had thought, then. Whenever Legolas sounded _exactly_ like his father, something was greatly amiss. Enough that Legolas had carefully plucked each and every one of his emotions and put them in a little box behind a shield and kept them there. Away from any stray window to the outside world that might betray a hint of an emotion.

"Fine." Aragorn said, and stopped aside so that Legolas could leave. There were other ways to get answers out of stubborn elves.

 **0.0.0.**

"Don't you think this ought to be something you ask the lad?" Gimli asked, waving a pair of pliers aimlessly, a near red hot wire still held in its grip.

"I have asked him. Multiple times, in fact."

"And what did he say?"

"Nothing! He said nothing!"

"Considering his talent for talking, if he's so insistent on saying nothing perhaps you should trust his judgment."

Aragorn sighed, and leaned forward until his head thudded onto Gimli's workbench. He hadn't seemed particularly surprised about Legolas' sudden absence in Aragorn's life so the elf must have mentioned it to him already. Mentioned the reason.

He sighed again. He had always known Legolas owned the bulk of Gimli's loyalty, and the dwarf would probably literally die rather than betray Legalas' trust or feelings.

Delicate as they were.

Sometimes Gimli could be convinced to intervene or at the very least lead Aragorn in the right direction when it came to Legolas. But only if he agreed with Aragorn about the problem. And sometimes, not even then.

But it appeared not this time.

"But I can't fix it if I don't know what the problem is."

Gimli dipped the metal into water with a great massive hiss and set it aside so that he could turn his full attention to Aragorn, "It's nothing you can fix, Laddie. Even if you knew the problem."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"It wasn't supposed to."

Aragorn slid off the stool and stood straight, "Alright. Well. I would like to say this has been enlightening and a pleasure but it has been neither of those things. I'm leaving."

He turned and began walking away but something in Gimli's voice made him stop and turn, "Aragorn, all I'm saying is that just because you think you need to hear it, doesn't mean Legolas should be forced to say it. There are some things that cannot be taken back."

Then, quieter as he turned back to his work, "Go and ask Arwen about it."

 **.0.0.0**

"He isn't angry with you, my love."

"I know he's angry. I know."

Arwen smiled sympathetically and took his hand, "Oh, he's angry, just not with you. And he's probably just as upset about it as you are."

"Then with who? Why?"

"Me."

That, Aragorn had not been expecting. His brain needed a moment to catch up. "What?"

Legolas and Arwen loved one another, they were best friends and partners in crime. And had been since elflings, Aragorn had come to understand.

They were an assumed automatic united front about everything, even with him and his brothers. Or perhaps, especially with him and his brothers.

The idea that Legolas would be angry with her, and for so long was absurd. Especially right after wedding-

Oh.

 _Oh._

He understood. It seemed idiotic of him to not have thought of the answer earlier.

Arwen didn't answer his question, so she must have watched him reach how own opiffiney about it.

"Your mortality."

Arwen nodded, "He will work through it by himself or with whoever he chooses to share it with. Give him time."

 **.0**

He knew he probably ought to give him more space, but he missed Legolas. He missed him a lot.

The elf didn't run away from him this time, and so maybe he sense Aragorn's change of attitude. He came to stop near where Legolas sat on top of a thick wall so he could dangle his legs over the edge of an impossibly steep drop to the bottom of the city.

Aragorn leaned his arms near where Legolas sat, "I get it. I would be upset too, and I just want you to know that it's okay to feel this way. But if I don't bring it up again after this, can I have my friend back? Please?"

Legolas rested a hand briefly on Aragorn's head, and he felt the deep love that Legolas still had for him and sighed with relief.

Legolas nodded, "I missed you too Aragorn."

 **Better late than never, right?**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **I'm going camping starting tomorrow so you probably won't see next weekend's prompt until Monday or Tuesday again. Have a good weekend!**


	80. Immortal

_My dear flighty and insufferable elf,_

 _For a very long time the idea of immortality was incompressible to me. I was born and raised in a world where everything was destined to live out its set number of days as it wished and then it was to die. Having fulfilled a purpose or no. I knew from the moment I opened my eyes that there was only a certain number of times Eru had decided I would be able to do so. But for you, life is not so._

 _And while I knew this fact about elves long before I even met you, I still could not understand it. Not really._

 _I had hoped that in getting to know you I would come to understand how life could ever be designed to exist forever. I had hoped to understand more of what made eternal creatures eternal. Unsurprisingly, you were exedingly unhelpful on all fronts. As you most often are._

 _From what I could tell, you are somehow uncomfortably timeless yet disturbingly and abundantly mortal in all other aspects. In all my years Eru allowed me to walk on Arda and Aman, few in number they may seem to you, I have never met a soul that takes such individual interest in every single matter of life and creation. Big or small, but usually smaller the better._

 _I have never seen somebody drink in every word and sight as it is both their first and last, yet I have watched you do so for a century. And have no doubt you did so hundreds of years before you knew me, and hundreds of years after I am gone._

 _I could hardly believe my eyes and ears when your good cheer, good nature, and good intentions did not waver for a single moment during our quest. I could not believe that such a light filled creature had been created that could withstand such determined and relentless hate. And I certainly could not believe that you had been enduring worse than the parallels of our quest for your entire life but laughed more in the first year I knew you than perhaps my entire family my entire life._

 _I have never seen the world so uniquely but with such crystal clear sincerity as I did whenever you shared your views with me. The experience has been both an honor and a privilege._

 _Not unlike you, immortality proved to be a funny and tricky thing._

 _Eventually. I stopped trying to understand the idea of immorality, and instead just watched you enjoy and suffer it. And while doing so has not brought me any closer to finding any logical answer, it has however brought me to my own conclusion that I refuse to be swayed from: Eternal life was created for you, Legolas, because there is no other soul that has walked or will that deserves it as much as you._

 _You deserve an infinite number of sunrises to watch, birds to sing to, and nights to run under your trees. You deserve a never ending sea of days in which you can continue to fill every second with love and laughter. You deserve thousands of dances with the one you love, and to watch thousands of tree's grow from seeds to oaks to rival the one's in the gardens of Yavanna._

 _You deserve so much. And I am glad everyday that I am alive, few it may be, that you are given what you deserve. Finally, after so long of suffering and heartache._

 _If Lord Elrond has given you this letter than I'm fully aware you don't feel any of this joy and wonder for life I say that you do. And that's alright. You are allowed to be sad, and angry. You are allowed to yell and curse at anyone you like. You are encouraged to cry. You are allowed to miss me._

 _Because I will miss you too, no matter where Mandos puts my soul to rest. I will miss you so much._

 _When the sadness feels crushing, and you cannot find the words or the will to speak remember that one single stubborn dwarf believes that eternitys were created for you to make the best of them._

 _Even if your best is saying nothing for nine days and staring at the clouds._

 _Leaving and goodbyes are hard for anybody, but especially for you. Especially when you have been given an immortal lifespan to miss the ones that did were given a mortal one._

 _Everything will be okay, Lad._

 _I will always be watching over you, even if I have to bribe or win a fight against Mandos himself. I will be there._

 _I will be there with you in every sunrise and blooming flower you examine like its your first. I will be laughing that you forgot what you were saying but pleased that you are still finding so much endless joy in your endless days._

 _So remember to breath, and remember pain passes. Remember everything you love about this world and remember how excited I am for you to see all of it._

 _With immortal love,_

 _Gimli son of Gloin_

 _ **..**_

 _ **I cried a little bit writing this, not going to lie.**_

 _ **The older lady who kept her laundromat in Jasper open late specifically so that I could have dry bedding after a rainstorm ruined my life was VERY concerned.**_

 _ **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**_


	81. Master

Legolas tried not to stare at his father. Tried to. Wasn't very successful about the task, but he had tried. Hardly a year the necromancer had been gone, and already another darkness had stepped seamlessly in to replace it. This 'master beyond the woods' had long been rumored about, but now they had proof.

Hard-won proof.

Thranduil had hardly moved since he had finished reading the report of all the eavesdropped new collected by a few previously captured and then freed elves. His hands were clasped together and rested against his face, elbows folded on the top of his desk. As far as Legolas was aware, he had yet to blink.

He assumed his father was going through all the same avenues of thought Legolas had when he had read it himself several hours earlier. The master beyond the wood was apparently well known to many of the other world powers, but in secret.

Should they tell someone? And if so, who?

There was no one member of another realm they could tell with confidence word would not reach the new 'master' that they had become aware. And that would likely spell doom for all of his people. While all the other continued to look on impassively.

Legolas had immediately thought of telling Gandalf of this news, but after his involvement with the dragon and the dwarves, many in Greenwood were no convinced that Gandalf himself was not the master. Especially after he had vanished from the battle without a word to any elf, and continued to flit from one tragic happening to the next, always involved whenever the darkness seemed to hide itself away.

Pokeing. Prodding.

And leaving others to deal with the mess. And the loss.

And the bodies.

They could not even trust to tell Lord Elrond or Lord Celeborn, for no doubt both would immediately inform Lady Galadriel. Who could do any number of things with the information?

No. There was none they could trust.

Even if they did decide to tell any of them, who was to say they would even believe them?

They had not believed his father when he insisted that Sauron had not been truly defeated, that he would rise again. They had not believed them that the darkness his home face and was slowly losing to was not an example of their simple-minded weaknesses. They did not believe their word about the true and horrible nature of the darkness brewing in their woods.

They did not believe. They never had.

That was inconvenient.

Finally, Legolas could take it no more and broke the three-hour long silence. "Ada?"

After near another minute, Thranduil roused himself and finally broke the staring contest with his desk to look up at Legolas, "Yes, my leaf?"

He glanced down to the hastily scrawled messages across Thranduil's desk. Detailed reports followed by detailed opinions from various important elves form various important councils. "We're on our own still, aren't we?"

A ghost of a smile touched his father's lips and he half-breathed some sort of laugh, "Yes, my leaf. We are."

Legolas nodded, more so himself than anything else and looked out the window with a sigh.

The sun was shining today, the birds were chirping and happy. Laughter and song drifted in through his father's open window. A new day, a new darkness, a new evil, a new battle in this endless war.

"What are you going to do?"

He looked back to his father's desk as Thranduil gathered up all the loose pieces of paper and tossed them into a basket on the corner like he couldn't stand to look at it any longer. "If the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight just like I always have. I haven't lost yet."

 **.**

 **I had meant to ask this on the last chapter, since it was chapter 80. Officially 50 chapter longer than this whole thing was supposed to be. 30 days has turned into over 365 and that's super cool, and I'm very thankful.**

 **But I'm curious, what your favorite part / type of chapters you've read? What's something you would like to see more of in the future? Or a specific type of chapter or vibe of one you might like to see replicated, but like, in a different and new way?**

 **Or anything else you want to tell me!**

 **Can't wait to hear all of your thoughts!**


	82. Dance

Music drifted in from a few of the open windows and into the hall of fire, faintly heard over the music being played within the hall, but Celebrain whipped around and out of her husband's arms to lean towards the windows at the faint hint of the first note. Thranduil and his Silvan elves had vanished into gardens far below the main house, as they usually did when they visited, once they had gotten too restless among their hosts.

She turned to Elrond with a delighted smile, "I love this song." A moment later she looked across the table from where Lord Celeborn seemed to also take note of the song outside, "Ada, do you remember Thranduil and Oropher teaching us the dance in the glade? When all the fireflies were about?"

Celeborn laughed and rubbed at his head, "I remember the headache the next day."

"I want to go to dance." She kissed Elrond briefly on the lips and then dashed for the door, throwing it open with a near bang in her haste. Elrond threw his father in a law a confused glance and then rushed out the same doors after his wife.

The music grew louder with each step, and his ears peaked with intent interest. It had been a long while since had heard any music that seemed to lift his heart as such. By the time he reached the bottom steps, Celebriann had already reached the cluster of Silvan elves.

There were already several pairs of Silvan elves dancing around the four performing in the center, Legolas and Avaleina had just stood to join them. Their movements practically mesmerizingly in union with one another, and the others around them.

Celebriann came to a near skidding stop in front of Thranduil who sat in the grass among his warriors, she reached her hands down expectantly, "Dance with me?"

He took her hand without hesitation, and allowed her to help haul him to his feet, "Of course."

Thranduil twirled her a few times until she laughed with glee, "Do you remember all of the steps?"

Elrond leaned against a tree to watch. Often Celebrain vanished to enjoy the company of Thranduil in solitude whenever he visited. He had heard stories of childhood comradery and many shared adventures and secrets but it seemed very seldom did Elrond ever get to witness it.

"I think so."

Thranduil bowed deeply, courteously extending an exaggerated hand. Celebriann curtsied with equal drama, and took it. He spun her a few more times before they stepped in line with the other four couples twirling under the stars.

Elrond had never seen Celebrain dance like that, had never known she even knew _how._ But she could, and it was beautiful and wonderful in ways he probably wouldn't be able to explain later. Like a water lily drifting down a stream, twirling and free.

The song continued and the beauty only grew, the beat quickened and so did the dance until everyone involved was partially a blur of perfect feet and hand movements. He glanced up briefly to where the windows of the hall of fire were, unsurprised to find many faces peering out to watch their Lady dance with the King of Greenwood.

Seemingly too soon for Celebrians taste, the song came to an end. A new one began to play, and Thranduil gently escorted her to the side and away from the dancers, Elrond found himself gravitating there automatically.

"Do you remember the first night I showed you that dance?" Thranduil asked.

Celebrian laughed and flashed a very brief and guilty look to where Celeborn watched from inside, "The first two times? No. The second time? No. The wine got the best of me. The third time, however, that one I remember."

Thranduil laughed, the kind Elrond did not often hear from him. True and genuine. "Was that the time with the fireflies? When your Ada was sick in a bush?"

She laughed again, "Yes. That's the time."

"If I recall correctly, that is not the _only_ visitor who got sick that night."

Celebrian just straightened her skirts and looked more proud than ever, "You're the one who gave me all of the wine, so you are legally not allowed to complain about me getting sick."

This time it was Thranduil who laughed, in an open and bellowing kind of way that startled Elrond but apparently nobody else, and then he scoffed "Legally not allowed?"

She nodded firmly, "Yes. In case you've forgotten, I'm Lady of this valley."

As if noticing Elrond for the first time, Thranduil finally turned his attention to him. "If the opportunity ever comes up, I would strongly advise against a drinking competition with Ferdan."

There was a chorus of enthusiastic agreement from every single one of the visiting Silvan elves.

It was not often he was allowed to see this side of Thranduil. Or perhaps it was not often Thranduil removed his mask to allow him to see the face beneath it. The one that his friends and his people saw.

The one who rescued tiny frogs for his son, and taught Celebrain to shoot a bow without her father permission and gifted her the best summers of her young life. The one who had gained the undying love and loyalty from not only the tree's in his own forest, but most of all the ones who met him.

Elrond still didn't know what to say to Thranduil, though he wished he did.

Another song ended, and one faded in. Thranduil took Celebrains hand like it was an old habit, and she, in turn, took Elrond's. The King spoke to Elrond directly, though, "Come. Even a Noldor Lord can learn this dance."

 **.0.**

 **I just love Thranduil and Celebrians best friend relationship headcanons I have so much.**

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	83. Somewhere

"Ada," He could tell it was hard for him to talk, his breaths were ragged at best. "Can you tell me something nice?"

He tried to ignore the warmth growing on his own pant legs as more of his sons blood seeped into them, "Of course, my little leaf. Of course I can."

But the blood wasn't the problem.

The venom was the problem. One he did not have a solution for.

He adjusted how he was sitting, so that he could cradle Legolas rather than simply support him, he hoped he wasn't shaking. "Somewhere there's a place for us, that has peace and quiet and open air."

He moved Legolas' hands so that he could hold those too, as they grew slowly colder.

"Somewhere, there's a time for us."

Legolas' breaths grew even more strained, and Thranduil wanted to close his eyes against it all. But he could never do that to his son. "Someday, a time for us."

The forest had grown absolutely still around them, watching with held breath as their Prince tried to remember how to stay alive.

"Time together with time to spare," He kissed his forehead, trying to ignore how it burned with a deadly fever. "Time to look, and time to care."

Tears began to slip from Legolas eyes and he didn't know if was in pain, fear, or sorrow. He wiped them away all the same and held his beautiful son closer, "Somewhere, little leaf, we'll find a new way of living."

He felt the presence of Lady Yavanna's spirit close by, the sorrow of the forest having brought her attention all the way from Aman.

He could tell that Legolas was starting to fall asleep. He gripped him tighter, wanting him to know that he wasn't alone.

He was never alone.

"Somewhere, there's a place where we can start healing, and forgiving."

Ferdan fell to his knees next to him, unable to speak. Voice stolen with the unfairness of it all.

This time Thranduil did close his eyes, "Somewhere there's a time and place for us, someday finally time for us."

Slowly Legolas' hands seemed to be losing their grip. "Hold my hand, and we're halfway there."

But his grip just grew weaker.

Thranduil heard his own voice break along with his heart, "Hold my hand, little leaf, and I'll take you there."

"Somewhere, someday, I'll take you there."

Legolas head went limp against his shoulder, and the only thing that kept Thranduil upright was Ferdans strong arms.

It should have already been too late to save him when Avaleina dropped from the trees with a fresh antidote, having been sent to meet with another patrol to retrieve it.

But somehow, some way, that day it wasn't.

 **0.00.0..0.0**

"Ada, come! I want to show you something!" Legolas said by way of warning four seconds before he took Thranduil and Orophers hands, and began pulling them both up the hill at high speeds.

With a gleeful laugh, Thranduil allowed it. Watching as his own father pulled ahead of the other two, slightly.

Oropher looked back at the two with a teasing smile, "Well, come on then."

Both of the other elves could tell when they were being challenged to a race.

They quickened their own paces, blowing past several very startled and serene looking Noldor on their way up.

That only made the three of them laugh harder.

In the end it was Thranduil who won, if only by a fraction of a second. He turned to the other two with a triumphant smile, "You two ought to know better than that."

Hands on his knees Legolas looked up with offense, "Excuse me! I have won races against you on three occasions!"

"Name them."

"Arwens 2000th birthday, that one summer solstice when Farlen got so drunk he fell out of the tree, and in Ilithein at my and Avaleinas wedding." Legolas ticked each of them off with his fingers.

"Your wedding doesn't count, it was your wedding. I let you win."

Legolas somehow both scoffed and snorted, "Slander! You were just too drunk to see straight!"

"So were you!"

Oropher watched them with extreme fondness.

"And I _still_ beat you!"

Thranduil waved a hand, "Fine. You have three victories out of how many?"

"Doesn't matter. I still have three victories."

"What did you want to show him, leafling?" Oropher interrupted smoothly.

"Oh, yes!" Legolas sprang forward again, pulling only his father along this time. Oropher followed regardless.

He pulled him until Thranduil could see the entire expanse of their new home spread out before them. The great and powerful forest that's Lady Yavanna had grown for them, grown entirely from the seedlings of their old forest in Arda.

Legolas gestured to with grandeur, "We finally found Somehwere."

 **0.0.0.**

 **(Most of the dialogue in the first part is from the song "Somewhere" in west side story )**

 **For Lusseeldalion, thank you for everything!**


	84. Memories

He stood on the beach staring out to the waves, towards where the shores of Arda would be. Lost in his mind, his memories, and his heart. Thranduil had noticed Legolas become nearly transfixed nearing ten minutes ago.

At first he had planned to allow him to swim amongst the memories of the life he had sailed away from, until Thranduil felt the painful downturn of his heart. He turned away from his son to look for a specific group of elflings, spotting the one he was looking for Thranduil gently called, "Lavien!"

Hearing her name the little elfling froze in her game and turned to her grandfather with questioning eyes, Thradnuil beckoned her over with a gesture. Smile splitting into a grin that was near a mirror of her father's she raced over, leaping when she got close enough and trusting her grandfather to catch her.

Which he did easily. Thranduil tossed her in the air a few times to her shrieked delight, before settling her in his arms and smoothing out her now wild hair.

"You called for me?" She asked, huge green eyes the shades of her mother's staring at him widely.

"Yes, I did." He turned the two of them around and pointed to where Legolas still stood completely still on the sand. Still absolutely lost within himself.

Lavien noticed her Ada quickly, and tilted her head to the side in puzzled concern. "Is Ada okay?"

"Yes, your Ada's fine." Thranduil kissed his only grandchild on the head, "But I think he could use a hug, why don't you go and give him one?"

"Okay." She answered cheerfully, waiting until she had been placed gently back onto the ground. She glanced up only one for encouragement from Thranduil before she raced over to her father, dark hair trailing behind her effortlessly.

Unlike usual, the presence of his daughter's spirit didn't rouse Legolas from his thoughts, and he stood just as statuesque until Lavien gently touched his hand. The spell broken, Legolas jumped in surprise.

Lavien looked up guilty.

Immediately, Thranduil watched as Legolas reached down for her and lifted her into his arms in the same manner Thradnuil had so recently. From here, he could see that Lavien's concern for her father hadn't yet diminished, and so it seemed likely a few tears were on Legolas' face.

The elfling wound her arms around her father's neck and help him tightly, Legolas, in turn, began to rub a soothing hand up and down her back while rocking very gently side to side. With small hands, she reached up to wipe her Ada's face for him.

Even if Thranduil couldn't see his face, he felt Legolas' soul smile at that, and he kissed her cheek approximately thirty times in rapid succession. Her laugh filled the air and he knew Legolas' heart would only climb higher at the sound.

Good.

The two of them long lingered on the sand together, Lavien's face glued with rapt attention as her father painted vivid stories from another world for her. She looked so much like Legolas had whenever Thranduil had told him about Doraith that it nearly stopped his heart.

The celebration continued on behind them, but Thranduil was content to keep his back to it. He was more important matters to observe. He only looked away when he felt Avaleina come to stand next to him, her pregnant belly starting to clearly show from under her dress.

Thranduil put an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into his side. "Are you alright? Do you need to rest? Food?"

He could feel how tired she was, this pregnancy had already been more difficult and taxing than the one with Lavien, and it was only hardly halfway over. Still, she shook her head. "No, I just came to check on my husband. I felt him wandering so far from home again."

Finally, Legolas turned away from the water, having also probably felt his wife's approach. Thranduil could nearly see the outlines of Minas Tirith glowing in Lavien's eyes. He put his daughter back onto the ground, and she ran back to Thranduil. "Grandadar, is it true that in Arda you kept treaties with all the human villages?"

"Well, not _all_ the human villages. That is far too many villages. But I did keep treaties with the one's around our home." Lavien's eyes grew wide with wonder.

Legolas reached his family, casually but lovingly kissing Avaleina on the lips before bending to kiss her stomach, "See, I told you I wasn't lying."

Removing his arm from Ava, he reached down to scoop his granddaughter back up, "We also had treaties with the great eagles and the Avari elves."

Avaleina moved from leaning against his side, to her husbands, and Legolas wrapped an arm around her waist. "Are you alright, my love?"

He looked at her with a dazzling smile, the sorrow Thranduil had felt from his heart earlier growing fainter and fainter. "Yes, I was just lost in the past for a few minutes. Lost in memories."

She looked at him with sympathy and understanding, "Found your way back home to us now?"

"Yes."

Turning in his arms so that she could look at he father once more, Lavien brightly said, "Its okay Ada, we can make more memories today so then it'll be harder to find the sad ones again."

Legolas kissed her cheek and began leading his family back to the festivities, "That sounds like an excellent plan, my beautiful girl. Let's go and find your Grandnana too."

 **.0.**

 **I thought it would be fun to try and write some Parental Legolas, it was.**

 **(Valien means 'Elm Tree' or 'Elmwood' its a little homage to the common tree's that used to grow in Greenwood.**

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	85. Proud

You took your first breath today, and I don't think anything has rendered me so helpless or so full of tears so quickly before.

You're perfect.

The moment you're put in my arms I know I never want to let you go.

You laugh and take my finger, and I swear you are the smallest thing I have ever seen. I briefly look at your mother and she laughs at me, and I know I'm still crying but I can't bring myself to care.

I'm in love with everything you do. Everything you'll be. Oh, my sweet tiny little Greenleaf. I am so in love with you.

You scrunch your face and cough once before breathing normally again, and I've never been more proud of anything in my entire life.

 **.0.**

You laughed again today, and it was the greatest gift Eru has ever bothered to give me. I don't remember what it was you were laughing at, but my whole world stopped moving so I could hear it.

Nothing else existed in that moment.

You are so young and have already seen so much pain, and somehow your laugh sounds exactly as I remember it.

How has it only been two weeks since the last time? It feels like centuries.

My world only continues to spin when I feel you tug on my hands before holding your arms up expectantly.

I look down at you with a smile, and I think I might also be crying but I don't really care. I grab you under the armpits and toss you lightly in the air before catching you and snuggling you again me, my fingers searching for that one particularly ticklish spot.

They find it and you laugh again.

I've never been more proud of you in my life.

 **.**

You came home with a fawn today, having apparently found her next to her dead mother. And there was no possible way I could have said no to either sets of your pleading eyes.

One set brown, one set blue.

And while I did not exactly expect you to convince me to let her sleep in our bed with us, nonetheless, I have never been more proud of you in my life.

 **0.0.0.**

We left our woods to travel to another realm today. I could feel how scared you were at being away from not only your elven friends but also your tree friends.

They make you feel safe, as if there's always a pair of warm and loving arms wrapped around you. I know this feeling all too well, my Greenleaf.

And so as we past the final edge of our borders I make sure to hug you tighter and push my soul more strongly against yours.

Not surprised when I feel Ferdan and Galion do the same. You had closed your eye right so that you would not be scared by too much empty space.

You open them now and gasp with wonder, "Whoa."

Your eyes grow impossibly wide trying to soak up the fields that stretch for miles, fear long forgotten and replaced with excitement and curiosity.

I've never been more proud of you in my life.

 **0.0.0.**

I'm furious with you. I do not actually recall, ever, being this angry. And I can tell by your face that you know this as well as I.

Ferdan stands behind your chair with his arms crossed over his chest, and I know you can feel the burn from his eyes.

The bow you and your friends stole layer across my desk. By far the loudest thing in the room and I am determined to keep it that way.

You are a very lucky elfling that it was Galion who found the four of you. You know that, too.

"Go to your room. Stay there until I come and speak to you."

Silently you get up from the chair, eyes downcast the entire time. Not tonight. Tonight you will see my anger. "Legolas look at me."

You glance at Ferdan once before turning to my face. "I want you ready to explain to me exactly why you did this, and what you think a good punishment should be."

You nod, eyes brimming with tears at my stern tone. I will wipe your tears later, for now I want you to think.

"Go."

You literally run for the door, leaving it open in your haste. As soon as your gone I let my own tears fall, and thunk me head onto the desk.

Ferdan goes to close the door and I take a moment to compose myself, this is the closest I've come to losing you since that night.

And it was to your own foolishness.

"Galion says Legolas hit his target three times, even with a bow significantly too big for him."

"I know." I say, my face still on the desk.

I'm so angry with you, but still I can't help but be proud.

 **0.0..0.0**

The room is overflowing with giggles, and you and Avaleina are no exception. The dance mistress allows is for a few more more nerve to leave before she claps her hands.

You all come to the first position. Faces struggling to remain neutral.

"Come now; you are all soon to be graduated warriors. You cannot dance our customs in front of our people."

"Again." The music resumes, and you all begin again.

Naturally, Avaleina is your partner, and one of you makes a comment as you pass, your hands held close to another but not touching.

You snort, and Farlen is send into his own giggles.

But still you all dance perfectly, or so, it seems to me.

She calls her hands again, "No. It's all wrong. All of it. Again."

I've never been more proud of you in my life.

 **.0.0**

Even with your eyes covered with the blindfold 8you manage to hit every clay ball perfectly, shattering it into equal sized pieces.

The crowd is impressed, but I'm not.

Still, it looks like you might throw up.

You have done this hundreds of times with the same flawless result, but you have never been one for performance. Yet here you stand.

Of course you're going to pass this test. Of course.

Even if you didn't, you came and stood before the gaze of our entire realm for judgement; and I've never been more proud of you in my life.

 **.0.0**

You appeared in the middle of the night, and dark shadow to block the moon. You climbed into the bed and collapsed into my arms.

Distraught sobs overtake you, and suddenly you're my tiny little elfling again.

Help is hard to seek. Especially after a loss you blame upon yourself.

But you're here, and I'll tell you it's not your fault as many times as you need to hear it. And that I still love you a thousand times more than that.

And I will tell you over and over, that even now, I've never been more proud of you.

 **0.0.0. 0.0.**

I can hear your laugh, although I know you are absolutely nowhere near me.

I'm glad you're finding so much joy and merriment in your moment. Even if your heart is still saddened.

I've never been more proud of you in my life.

 **..0**

 **Inspired by Kat-anni's suggestion : "you're doing great sweety" and a time or times Thranduil thought similarly towards Legolas.**


	86. Misintepret

They were safe as long as everyone watching could misinterpret their actions.

Misinterpret the way he nearly had to be cornered in order to be coaxed into a dance with an elleth that was not her, or an otherwise equally close friend. Misinterpret the fact that he still didn't seem to dance with anybody but her, no matter how many friends were around, simply because nobody else had asked.

Misinterpret the flush of his face at being able to hold her so close as nothing more than a side effect of strong wine, misinterpret the way they grew closer and closer at the sunlight waned on the same thing.

Misinterpret the way they stood so close together whenever they talked as trying to be heard over the music, and the raditing smiles on their faces to only be from the jokes of their friends.

The darkness could not focus on her if everyone continued to misinterpret their bond.

Misinterpret the fact that they were hardly ever apart from one another if allowed, and that neither had ever shown any interest in any of the plethora of suitable suitors that had so keenly presented themselves to both.

Misinterpret that celebration or no, it was a common sight for all to see the two of them dancing beneath the trees and the stars. Dancing to no music other than the sound that kept them alive, kept her alive. The sweet and haunting but regretfully necessary bells of misinterpretations.

They would be alright as long as that bells kept ringing through the forest. Loud enough it could drown out the sounds of those times where they did slip. When there could be no other explanation for the words that stumped out in the grips of heartbreak and loneliness. No excuse for the way they held each other and asked Mandos for just a few more days as more blood soaked the roots of their home.

They could be together if they wrapped misinterpretation around them like a cloak. Shielding them from any eyes that could have witnessed her sneaking in and out of his room every night that he was home. Shield the way his light hardly seemed to turn out on nights she wasn't there, rest an enemy he is unable to face without her.

They would be safe as long as nobody looked too closely at them at how their brightest smiles were always for each other. Or at the series of handmade promise rings that discreetly ruled her left hand. Or at the desperate devastation that is always much too evedant on their face when one comes to harm.

Misinterpretation was key. Misinterpretation was important.

It gave the allusion that she hadn't had his heart tucked gently in her hands. It made it easier to pretend if she were to fall that his heart could still beat from whatever dark place it would be thrown. It made it easier to ignore the constant thumping of her heart in his hand. Made it easier to ignore how delicate it was.

Misinterpretation made it easier to believe that any of this hiding had been necessary in the first place. Because it's only the deceptively smooth whispers of misinterpretation that had convinced him that his mother's death wouldn't have come if she had not been loved by his father. If the realm and the tree's did not know that his father had lived and breathed for her.

Misinterpretation allowed him to force all of his greatest fears into a box, ignore them, and call it his only option. It allowed the fears to still steal the only bits of sun that Eru let him have, it convinced him it was dangerous. That she was dangerous.

Misinterpretation told him that the pain he still felt in his heart and the constant fear that burned in his veins wasn't loss, but love. And it laughed when he beleived it.

 **0.0.0**.

 **thank you for reading, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	87. Glass

Legolas knew that everyone would have heard the crash, and soon they would all come to investigate the source of the noise.

Which, of course, had been him.

Except, not on purpose. He would never break anything, especially other people's things. But the branch had been caught in the window when the wind blew it shut, and it was hurting his friend.

He had tried to find somebody older and taller than him to help, but nobody had been around. And he knew better than to disturb important business. The table had been right there, it seemed an easy enough solution.

He had considered the possibility of disturbing the curtain so much it dislodged the rod and sent it scarring the glass figure across the floor.

"Oh uh."

Frantically he jumped down from the hallway table, careful not to disturb the vase on it, and served the damage again. Hoping it wouldn't look as bad from the new vantage point.

It didn't.

He frantically began to try and shoo the glass across the hallway floor with his hands into a pile, maybe if most of the mess was cleaned up by the time somebody came he wouldn't be in so much trouble.

They would let him come back to Imladris, because he liked it here and he liked his new friends. He wanted to come back.

Ada nor Ferdan were even in the city, as both has gone for a walk with Lord Glorfindel and Lady Celebrian. He had no one to run to, no one to protect him.

He had promised to behave while they were gone.

He thought he had been.

The glass strewn in all directions said otherwise.

He was going to be in so much trouble.

 **.0.0**

Arwen came around the corner to see what the sound was, and found her new friend trying to clean up the mess with his hands, and cutting them up in the process.

She ran across the hallway, "No, stop! Stop! You're hurting yourself!"

Legolas looked at her with tears down his face, but he did stop. "I didn't mean to break it. I didn't. I was trying to get the window off my friend."

She looked to where he was pointing and saw the trapped branch, she looked back to Legolas. "Its okay, Legolas. Don't worry, Ada won't be angry with you."

He sniffled miserably, "What if he is? What if he never lets me come back?"

Arwen thought about it, she still really did not think her Ada would be angry. Not when they told him why it had gotten broken. But then, Legolas was a prince, so maybe he knew things she did not. And she really did want him to come back again, he was great fun and finally evened the numbers against the brothers.

"Then I'll tell Ada that I broke it."

"You would do that?"

"Yes. I'll tell him that I broke it, and you hurt your hands trying to clean it up for me. I'll even ask him to help your friend that's stuck in the window."

"Really?"

"For you, of course."

 **..**

"Legolas, can you do it?"

He gave her a scandalized look from his incredibly comfortable lounging position, and snuggled into the covers around him to make a point. "Why do I have to do it?"

"Because I asked nicely, and you love me."

He scoffed, "So? Ask your husband, he loves to too."

"Please? I just had a baby."

"You had your last child nearly five years ago, that doesn't work anymore."

She rolled her eyes at him and then crossed her arms, and glared at Legolas with everything she had. But he just laughed at her, " You shouldn't hold as such, sweet Evenstar, your face might get stuck. And then we'll have to call you 'Frownstar' and it just simply doesn't have the same presence."

"What about if I remind you off the glass figure?"

Legolas groaned, and then he moaned, and then he sighed.

Then he slithered off the couch and dragged himself into a standing position, "Ugh. My life would have been so much more convenient if Elrond had just chucked me out that day like I was convinced he was going to for some reason."

She smiled sweetly, "Probably. But your life wouldn't have been near as much fun."

"Oh, it certainly would have. I think we're forgetting exactly who had to _beg_ her father to allow her to come to Greenwood, since he was convinced we had ' too much fun."

Arwen just shrugged again, and gave him one last sweet smile as he vanished through the doorway, sending her one last seething glare. For good measure she called after him, "Thank you! Love you!"

"You don't blackmail the people you love!"

"I do if it's you or my brothers!"

"Ugh."


	88. Lines

It wasn't often you saw anybody unexpectedly this far out from any city, even less so this late into the fall, and most certainly not in the wee hours of the morning.

The only reason Elrond, his twin sons and two foster fathers were here was because of Celegorm, who had drug his family out into the middle of nowhere to show them one wonder or another. That had been a week ago and so far they had simply been disinclined to return home just yet. The wilds were too peaceful yet to return to the sounds and smells of the city.

The elves in the moon bathed glade below them stilled most of their playful movements, but were still talking amongst themselves merrily rather than stare up the hill to where Elrond and Maglor now stood in full view.

"That's Thingol." Maglor said to nobody in particular, voice only slightly telling of his dislike their colored past.

"Have you seen him since he was released from the halls?" Elrond asked, and Maglor only shook his head. After so much time spent wandering alone, he wasn't one for unnecessary speaking.

Elladan and Elrohir wandered from where they had been pestering Meadhros to tell them one story or another and to the crest of the hill to investigate for themselves. Elladan asked, "I'm assuming he's the tallest?"

Maglor just grunted with acknowledgment.

Elrohir squinted at the other silhouettes sensing something achingly familiar about one of them, just as the smallest of the four shadows raised a hand and waved it high in the air.

The twins broke out in matching grins and enthusiasm,"It's Legolas!"

They ran down the hill to see him, and Legolas met them halfway across the field. There was a cry of surprise and then laughter when both twins leapt onto the prince at once, knocking him to the ground.

The older elves on either side wandered forward in a much more measured manner.

Elrond and his foster parents approached in silence.

The other two shadows who he had come to recognize as Oropher and Thranduil however, continued to mutter and laugh amongst themselves.

However they all stopped equal measures between one another with Legolas and the twins in the exact middle, still chattering happily and completely unaware of the near invisible line in the sand between the two families.

Oropher said something too quiet for Elrond to hear, and Thingol and Thranduil didn't bother to stifle their laughs. Maedhros and Maglors exchanged glances.

Looking past the twins, Legolas' keen eyes came to rest on Elrond himself, and he was impossibly pleased to see the renewed excitement in the younger elf's features. "Elrond!"

He pulled forcefully away from the twins and made for Elrond eagerly, who mirrored the movement and the enthusiasm. Line be damned. He hadn't seen Legolas in nearly a century.

Not caring in the slightest about the four sets is scrutinizing eyes, Elrond held him close for a long as Legolad would allow. There was still a distinct absent silence none had yet been able to fill since Legolas had moved out of his halls and back with his father and their people.

Pulling away, Legolad smiled widely, "I missed you."

Elrond pressed a loving hand against his cheek and then tucked some hairs behind his ears, "I missed you too, Greenleaf. You are always more than welcome to visit whenever you'd like, you know that."

"I know, I keep meaning too. But you know how well I keep track of time, I've accidentally stayed with King Thingol for…" He trailed off and glanced behind him to where the three Kings still stood waiting, shoulder to shoulder. Their various masses of blond and silver hair mingling into one seamless sheet of silky sheen.

Without waiting for the question to be asked Thingol answered firmly but with kindness and affection in his eyes, "Four years the first time, five the second."

"Ah, yes." Legolas said and turned back around to face Elrond, "I kept meaning to leave but it never ended up happening. Something always came up to steal my attention..."

"You will never hear me complain of your company, leafling." Thingol said once more with the same fondness Elrond had realized was the natural reaction to Legolas. "Or Avaleina's."

Legolas looked back again long enough to send another dazzling smile to King Thingol, before he looked beyond Elrond to the two Feanorians standing behind them. Stepping around Elrond, Legolas crossed the invisible line in a near skip, and came to stand near but not too near.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Lord Maedhros and Lord Maglor. I am glad that you are well."

Their expressions remained neutral, and Maehros answered for both of them. "And you, Prince Legolas. Tyelepe is eager for the two of you to work together again, he's been pestering absently for Elrond to invite you for months now."

"Oh!" Legolas said, nearly glowing brighter, "I have entire books fool of idea's I wanted his thoughts and help with! Is your camp nearby? Perhaps I could drop a few of them off tonight or tomorrow?"

Elladan went to answer, but clamped his mouth shut and glanced questioningly to Meadhros, who nodded once for permission. "We're only a few miles back! When we get back to camp, we'll tie a ribbon to a tree so that they can direct you right to us. Perhaps you could travel back home with us after?"

"We already have plans for the next week but after that I can!" And then like he forgot something he cringed in retrospect. Uh-" Legolas faltered, and looked behind him again. "Grandada? Is that alright with you?"

Oropher raised an eyebrow, "Since when did you ask anyone permission for anything?"

"Since I am trying to be polite and considerate."

"You must have learned such a thing from Galion," Oropher gave a hint of a smile, "Of course that is alright with me, Leafling. We have hogged your time and company for enough years, I suppose it is time we allow you to share yourself once more. What shall I tell your Grandnana of the crab festival?"

Legolas looked back to Elrond, "Could you tell me when I would have to leave to travel for the festival?"

"Of course I can. And if not I, then Celebrian."

Thingol cleared his throat delicately, "Elrond, you and your family are welcome to come as well, as my personal guests. I will have rooms prepared for you all."

To make his point even more clear, Thingol level his gaze on Maedhros and Maglor, "All of your family."

They both dipped their heads with acknowledgment and thanks, again Maedhros answered for both of them, "We'll speak to our brothers and have Legolas let you know."

"Very well."

Legolas gave another hug to each Predhel and returned to the ranks of his family, "In a week."

"In a week." The twins repeated.

And then the two groups parted ways, Elrond glanced back only once but saw no sign of the line that had been so clearly drawn in the sand beforehand.

 **0.0.0..0.0.0.**

 **Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	89. Reverse

Thranduil gently eased the door open in an incredibly strategic manner, and it allowed him the dignity of not squeaking. He stepped inside, shoes in hand, and closed it just as carefully. Nothing stirred from any of the rooms.

Success.

He twisted around on tiptoes, softly putting his boots by the door and stepped onto the carpet. The room was chilled and no light glowed from the fire, and Legolas' bedroom seemed to be equally as dark.

Which, was to be expected. Considering it was only a few hours until sunrise.

The great and prideful elevenking began to carefully tip-toe his way across their living space and towards his own bedroom door. He was halfway there when a sleepy voice drifted from his sons room, "You're late."

Thranduil breathed a laugh and changed courses, coming to stand inside Legolas' bedroom door. "I know, I apologize. We lost track of time."

Legolas lay curled on his side, a book he had clearly fallen asleep reading laying next to him on the bed and a small platter of various snack foods was on the nightstand. Probably courtesy of Galion before he had appeared to join Thranduil and Ferdan in their mischief.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, elfling?" Legolas asked with mock sternness. "What's a father to think when you're out for all hours of the night? The kingdom is going to say I let you run absolutely wild."

Thranduil leaned against the doorframe, "Well, you do."

Legolas yawned, and the sternness melted from his face. "You're right, I do. I'm a terrible father."

He wandered farther into the room and sat on the edge of Legolas' bed, "What did you do tonight, little leaf?"

"Ava and I had dinner and she tried to teach me one of the old dances, apparently it's not going very well." Legolas closed the book that was next to him and put it on the floor, too lazy to get up and find a spare space to place it. "Then I came here and fell asleep. I didn't even wake up when Galion came in."

"Yes, he's always been deceptfully sneaky considering how loudly he always talking."

Legolas smiled and snorted once, "How about you, what did you do tonight?"

"Oh, nothing really. Just enjoyed each other's company, just talking."

This time, Legola's eyes narrowed with many silent accusations. "That's a very mischievous smile you have for somebody who didn't do anything."

"This is my normal smile."

"It absolutely is not!"

Thranduil kissed him on the forehead, and adjusted the blankets to his satisfaction. "Hmm, well, you'll never know."

"If you don't tell me, then you're not allowed to go out with your friends for a month." Legolas crossed his arms pointedly.

Thranduil laughed and stood up, "Then I'll sneak out the window."

"I'll board it closed."

"What if I just don't come home for a month?"

Legolas gasped with mock heartbreak, "And leave me here a word shell of the person I used to be? What would your mother say?"

"She would tell me to pack more than just snacks in my bag, probably. You try and run away from home an elfling once with nothing but some fruit and she never lets you forget it."

"She's a wise woman."

"Yes well, I had to get it from somewhere and it certainly was not from you."

"I raised you to have more respect for your elder than this."

Thranduil laughed again as he left the bedroom and began walking back towards his own, "No you didn't."

Legolas' voice drifted back, "Don't forget you're grounded!"

 **0.0.0.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	90. Aurora

**Aurora as in the oncoming dawn, and not the Northern Lights**

 **O.o.o.o.o. .o.**

He stood on the top of the hill, as close to the

edge as he could manage without falling off or having the dwarf yell at him. Feeling about as swept up in his infernal storm of emotions as the leaves who jetted past him within the clutches of the winds cruel grasp. His hair longed to follow, and apparently most of the rest of his body too.

It felt like his very soul did.

He stared to the sky he had never once expected to see again, admiring the last glimpse of the stars before they twinkled into oblivion in the light of the morning sunlight. He had always admired the stars but never before had he ever felt like one quite so much.

Stars were things of impossible wonder and excitement, but they depended on the overwhelming darkness of their world in order to matter. They were only to be noticed when the rest of the world was too dark to hold any wonder or beauty of its own, they were only of consequence when the world needed them.

When they had something to offer.

The sky just beyond the horizon began to explode with colors and majesty, staining the bottoms of the sky and the clouds more colorfully than any artist would ever dare to attempt. It sang of dawns and days spent laughing.

It echoed with the silent, unnoticed, and unmourned death of the stars.

He cast his eyes upwards again, unmourned by all but one perhaps.

He should be happy, he should be bursting at every seam that Eru gave him with joy. He should be shining brighter than any star, or perhaps even the sun itself with the weight if his joy. But he wasn't, in fact, in this moment he felt like the weakest star of them all.

The Fourth Age dawned before him, the one goal that had cast a shadow of his entire life finally cast aside.

Yet he did not feel like the sun or the colors in the sky. He felt like he had grown to need darkness in order to shine. In order to be of consequence.

In order to have something to offer.

He turned his eyes away once more from the sky, and towards the camp much below his feet. Watching as the celebrating continued, as the men who each held their own personal sun's danced and sang and glowed with every single color of the sky above them.

He suddenly regretted coming up so high up on this hill, so far above them they would not yet be able to see him with their night vision. So far above the faint flow of his skin would look exactly like a star.

Dwindling and pointless in light of the upcoming sunrise.

He heard the scuffle of Gimi's foot against a stone, much closer than he usually managed to get before he noticed him. He smiled a bit at the thought, the dwarf had learned much in their time together.

He did not turn but just listened to the dwarf's drawn-out approach, waiting for him to speak. He did not have to wait long, "What are you doing out here all alone like this?"

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

"Being a star," Legolas answered simply, still observing the swirling mass of men below them, a strange sense of melancholy haning around his head darker than the night sky.

In Gimli's opinion, with the shadow of the night still cast above him and the lights of the coming morning throwing themselves across the elf's face, he could have been a star. But something told it was not in the same way that Legolas had meant it.

He walked forward farther and came to stand next to his friend on the hillside, he had sensed that something was wrong with Legolas much earlier in the evening. His joy seemed hollow, and his optimism faked.

"A star, huh?" Legolas nodded nearly imperceptibly. Gimli looked back up the the real stars, and then back down to his friend, "Nah, I don't think so."

The elf's expression changed a fraction, but it was enough Gimli knew that was not the response he had been expecting to hear. Legolas took his eyes away from the men, the sunrise, and the stars for perhaps the first time in hours to turn to him and asked simply, "Oh?"

"From this angle, you look more like a sunrise to me than a star."

Legolas blinked and the hint a sly smile touched his lips, he crouched down, sat, and threw his legs across the edge the small cliff, "How about now that we are nearly eye level?"

Gimli rolled his eyes at the short joke but sat next to Legolas anyways, "Still more sun-like to me."

He contemplated that for a few moments, and Gimli let him, content to admire the colors that continued to unfold before their eyes. A new day, a new age, free from darkness.

"Gimli, have you ever felt happiness so big it felt liked sadness?"

This time, it was his turn to contemplate his answer and Legolas let him, swinging his legs idly while he waited. "Yes. At least, I think I have."

"When?"

"A few times. Usually in light of an event I had been looking forward to for some time. I would spend so much time and energy looking forward, thinking, picturing what it would be like and feel like that when the moment came it felt more fleeting than a breath. So quickly my head and my heart did not get even have the time to properly prepare myself, and I am left feeling guilty for reasons and things I don't understand other than I should be happier but I'm not."

Legolas looked over to him with surprised delight, and Gimli assumed that meant he had managed to guess the elf emotions correctly, "Like being a star during a sunrise."

Gimli patted his hand, "Then its important that you remember you only feel like a star. You are not one."

"Hmm, perhaps." Legolad said mildly.

"You also need to remember to be more patient with yourself. Two thousand years is a long time to anticipate something. Give yourself at least two to come to terms with it."

"And in the meantime?"

"In the meantime, my absurd elf, we are going to go back down among the men and let their enthusiasm bleed into your veins until you can almost fake it to end your own."

 **O.o.o.o.o.o**


	91. Wolves

"Who raised you? Wolves? Do not wear your boots on my bed."

"You, Galion and Ferdan did. I would be better mannered if wolves had raised me."

"Perhaps, but you would not be near as much fun."

"Perhaps not, but maybe I wouldn't forget to take my boots off."

"You probably wouldn't wear boots, wolves have no purpose for them."

"I would not actually be a physical wolf, Ada, that's not how it works."

"Yes, but who would make your boots? Who would even know you needed then? Do you think hedgehogs would volunteer their quills and the spiders their finest webs so that the wolves can sew your footwear?"

"What is wrong with you?"

"They don't have thumbs, Legolas. I don't think they could even hold a needle even if they had managed to gather all of the knowledge and tools for the task."

"What if they stole them from a village for me?"

"You think they would deem it important enough to try and enter a house knowing full well how many of them are killed a year by the mortals? How would they even enter the house?"

"Suppose they drug somebody out of a field while they were at work and then took his boots."

"But how would they take the boots off?"

"I don't know, bite the bottom of it and shake it off."

"Boots are far too tight for such a thing, they would have a better chance of just tearing it to shreds in their mouths."

"Why are you putting so much thought into this?"

"There would be a better chance of them accidentally biting the enter limb off trying to get the boots to begin with."

"That is incredibly morbid and unnecessary."

"You were the one who wanted boots so badly."

"You were the one that let me get raised by wolves!"

"You were the one who didn't want to be fun."

"Hard to be fun when the ones who raised me brought boots with the old owners feet still inside of them."

"Some Elves are just never satisfied with whatever well meaning, but truly harrowing, actions their Wolfpack commits for them."

"Forgive me, I'm still recovering from the disembodied feet incident."

"Should have stayed at home and let me raise you, then."

"Should have let me have my boots on the bed."

"Never. Next time it happens I'll be scaring some poor wolf pup for life by throwing footwear still occupied into the far reaches of the forest."

"At least the wolves gnawed off somebody else's feet in order to help me, not my own to permanently disfigure me."

"Maybe they would have once you had your own boots, and did it to them. You really never know."

"I'm done with this conversation."

"I'm ashamed at you, those are the well groomed manners the wolves raised you to have! What would your other father say?"

" 'Awuuuoooooo,' probably."

"But in a more scolding tone, I assume."

"Obviously, what kind of father do you think he is?"

"A hairy one."


	92. Reason

Celeborn strolled into the clearing the Fellowship had settled in, casually snatching Legolas' twin knives from where he hand hung them on a branch at the side of camp without breaking stride. He slid their sheaths off and tossed them lightly on the ground.

He could feel almost all the eyes of the fellowship upon him, all except for their resident elf. Who still lounged upon a precariously thin branch with hands folded behind his head, eyes closed even though he would have felt the Celeborns approach.

The tree's probably also told him; one could never trust the tree's around Thranduil or Legolas. Even their own forest.

Celeborn came to a smooth stop beneath where Legolas laid, the Prince ignored him.

Ever his father's son.

But that was the entire reason he had come here, because Legolas was Thranduil's through and through. And Celeborn knew that Thranduil could not remain still with his negative emotions, lest they burn a hole in his soul.

He flipped the expertly crafted knives upwards into the air, listening to the the gasp from a hobbit and the whistle of the steel as it sliced the air. Legolas' hands moved from behind his head to outwards to grasp the hilts so quickly even Celeborn almost missed it.

Legolas twirled them a few times with a cold and practiced rhythm before he dropped them both back to the ground. Celeborn knew better and had enough trust not to move, and the knives landed on either side of him.

Celeborn huffed a laugh, pulled them from the ground and tossed them back up again. Legolas repeated his exact movements. "If you want to play catch, Legolas, we can."

He heard Aragorn hiss lightly at Legolas tone.

Celeborn didn't mind, in fact, he hadn't noticed until Aragorn made the sound. He could not fault Legolas for his anger upon being here. At seeing the peace they lived and thrived in, even while only a relatively short distance away his Kingdom crumbled to darkness. He would be angry too.

But he could not let Legolas sit in his anger. He wouldn't. The Prince would only burn himself alive.

He heard Legolas snort softly in amusement, and Celeborn knew Thranduil well enough to prepare himself, "Catch, then."

Legolas fell from the tree like a graceful but very clearly rabid and well-motivated squirrel, Celeborn quickly back-peddled to a safer distance. Legolas landed just were Celeborn had been, between his swords, and grabbed both as he tucked into a seamless roll.

Once he reached his feet again, he launched himself into the air and moved to separate Celeborn's head from the rest of his body, but from a good vantage point.

Celeborn ducked and twisted, already raising his sword to block an attack from one of Legolas knives, curving his hips to the right the avoid the other one.

 _Good,_ Celeborn thought, as Legolas came after him again and again in a relentless flurry of blows. Each near perfect, and each as fast as the last, _Now let's see how long I can keep you at this._

 **.0.0.**

As it turned out, Legolas had enough anger in him to last for several hours. Exactly how many Celeborn wasn't sure, but enough that even the two of them had developed a thin sheen of sweat.

Aragorn called time on their match before a definite winner was determined.

Celeborn held his arm out to Legolas to clasp, a show of respect between warriors, "I knew Ferdan taught you well, but I did not know he taught you _that_ well."

Legolas took hold of his arm tightly smiling a little for the first time since Celeborn had seen him enter their forest, "Did you think he would accept anything less?"

"I think it is you who could not stand to accept anything less."

Legolas let go of his arm and shrugged, "It has served me well thus far, has it not?"

"Yes, that it has. You and your people, I hope it continues to do so."

The younger elf tilted his head to the side slightly, and a wave of smoldering anger rekindled in his eyes. Celeborn wasn't certain if anything would ever be able to blow it out, "Yes, it is all anybody has ever done for us. Hoped, usually from a distance."

"Hope isn't enough anymore, not even our own." Legolas picked up his knives and sheathed them, "Goodnight, Lord Celeborn."

 **.0.0..**

Galadriel looked upon her husband, dressed in his armor and cloaked in his strongest determination. He knew she wasn't surprised by his choice, she hardly ever was. And yet she stood mildly in front of him, face open but expectant.

A reason. She would need a reason, and a good one at that to kiss her husband goodbye into another bloody war. Or perhaps, a reason good enough for her to join him on this. Combine their powers one last time for the sake of the good souls in middle earth.

"My hope is too weak, my love." He took two steps towards her, and she took his hand with comfort, "I can't sit here and hope any longer, I need to go help Thranduil. I need to."

Wither her other hand she lightly smoothed the wrinkles away from between his brows, "Let us go, then."

 **.**

"Why here?" Thranduil asked, looking and sounding more sincere than Celeborn had seen him Thingol had still lived, "Why now? What reason could you have to pull yourself off your shelf after all of this time?"

"Funny thing, I was jolted off it," Celeborn began, removing a bright and fresh green leaf that he had plucked from his forest and brought all the way here. Free and untouched by darkness. He offered it to Thranduil, who took it with a slightly trembling hand, "By what I once thought to be ones of Eru's lightest creations."


	93. Participate

Celebrian sat next to her father at the high table, watching the elves in the crowd below them swirl with colors, excitement, and fun. She rested her head on her hand and tried not to look too bored or miserable.

It was debatable how successful she was.

She had asked her father to let her stay in the room Oropher had given them to use for the duration of their stay and let her enjoy her own company and a good book, unsurprisingly he had disallowed it. A celebration like this was only fun when you had a group of friends to enjoy it with.

People to dance and laugh with.

Or at least, that's what she had gathered from her personal experience. She had yet to actually convince any group of young elves to allow her to join them for any celebration mischief, on account that all the youngs elves within Lothlorien were too terrified of her mother to allow Celebrian to join them.

She could not necessarily blame them for she certainly did not enjoy it whenever she gained her mother's wrath, but that did not mean she could not be a little bit bitter about it.

And bitter she was.

The only elf she knew enough to perhaps consider a friend here in Greenwood was Prince Thranduil, but she had not seen him since early the day before as he vanished into the treetops, face painted with a wicked grin with Orophers bellowing voice echoing after him.

Celebrian sighed, a bit louder than she intended to and her father pressed a sympathetic kiss to her temple, "A few more hours and we can return to our room and have a rematch of our game from this afternoon, hmm?"

She gave him the happiest smile she could muster, it wasn't her father's fault that there were certain expectations from visiting dignitaries, taking part in the celebrations being one of them, and she didn't want him to feel any guilt about it, "Alright Ada, that would be nice."

Celeborn turned back to his conversation with King Oropher and other important members of Greenwood's nation, and Celebrian turned back to watching the others have fun.

She wasn't sure how long she had stared into the crowd when she noticed several leaves drifting onto her head and empty plate from above. With a frown, she brushed them off her head and lap, assuming it was just from some elves scrambling around in nearby treetops.

Until a few berries landed on her head with suspicious precision, it was then that she glanced to the top of the reasonably sized rock shelf the high table had been placed in front of. Surprised to find Prince Thranduil crouched on top of it.

He held his finger to his lips to hush her before she could say a word, and Celebrian suddenly remembered that Oropher had apparently been attempting to track his son down for the better part of the entire day. Unsuccessfully.

She cocked her head to the side with a silent question. After a momentary glance at his father, Thranduil held his hands down to her from above, clearly meaning for her to reach up and grasp them.

She didn't waste a second.

Before either her father or King Oropher could notice, she stood on her chair and grasped his hands tightly. He pulled her up so swiftly it felt like she had taken spontaneous flight. So hard had he pulled that she didn't even need to clamber over the edge of the rock, she just shot up and over and into the waiting arms of Ferdan, Thranduil's best friend and eternal partner in mischief.

She faintly heard her father's uproarious laughter at her vanishing act, soon followed by Oropher exclaiming, "Eru help me, I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy!"

Snickering, Thranduil took her hands and led her away from the cliff's edge in a hurried crouch and into the crowd, vanishing before a few guards appeared where they had been standing before in a futile attempt to capture their prince and return him to his father.

With louder laughs and easy smiles, they continued their rushed tactical retreat.

They stopped once they reached a small cluster of elves lingering in the treeline that appeared to be waiting for them, and Celebrian's heart warmed a little at the thought of how pointedly Thranduil must have sought her out. Enough that his friends had waited for the rescue mission.

"Told you I could do it without getting caught," Thranduil grinned, easily catching a waterskin another tossed to him. He tore the cork out with his teeth and took a long drink, making a "Blah," sound after he swallowed.

He passed it to Ferdan who copied him, and then passed it to Celebrian.

She knew enough about Thranduil be know for certain it did not contain water, and reasonably certain it also wasn't wine, but some sort of horrible self-brewed substance much stronger than wine.

The assembled elves look to her expectantly, even as Thranduil said, "You don't have to drink any."

But this was the first time it seemed she would have the opportunity to enjoy a celebration to the fullest it had to offer, and so she took a deep breath and took a swig. The taste was an awful bitterness that she had never experienced before, and it made her face pucker and her throat almost close in rejection. But she forced herself and her body to swallow it down, and then nearly gagged.

"Open your mouth," Thranduil commanded and then tossed a few sweet berries in to chase the horrid aftertaste away, and then rubbed a soothing hand across her back as Celebrian continue to cough mildly, "Atta girl, now you're really one of us."

A few of his friends cheered or laughed, and Ferdan took the waterskin back.

Already she felt warmth travel through her veins like she had swallowed a tiny bit of fire, and her ears seemed like they nearly glowed with warmth. Coridually Thranduil held a hand out to her, "May I have this dance, Lady Celebrian?"

Around her, most of his friends had paired off to dance as well. She shook her head midly, "No, that's alright."

He seemed almost hurt, "Why not?"

She chewed on her bottom lip in nervousness, a habit her mother hated, "I don't know any of these dances. I'll look ridiculous."

"Well, there's only one way to learn. And if you think you look too ridiculous, I'll scream at the top of my lungs and then pull Ferdan's pants down. Nobody will remember how well you or badly you danced after that."

She laughed loudly, louder than she had in some time. Then she accepted his hand, "Alright, I'll give it a try."


	94. Poem

"Legolas," Pippin began around a mouthful of rabbit stew, "I thought all the elves were very creative with poetry and words and stories and stuff."

Legolas smiled from the branch he had climbed onto to pester and befriend an unsuspecting lizard, "I wouldn't say 'all elves' as such generalization cannot be made for any race or group. But yes, often among elvish culture theres a certain importance placed upon the value of creations."

Pippin finished chewing and swallowing his mouthful before asking the next question,although Legolas suspected it was more out of fear of Merry or Frodo kicking him in the shins for lack of manners if he didnt, "Aragorn tells us nearly 3 stories or poems a night, Boromir has shared a great deal from his people, and I'm fairly certain Gimli has at least two dozen poetry books memorized. But we haven't heard anything from you, why is that? Do your people not create?"

Momentarily Legolas was at a loss for words, he was just become so accustomed to never sharing his people's creations outside of his home. He was so accustomed to nobody even wanting to hear them anyways. It seemed they preferred their subject lighter, or at the very least their expertly weaved retellings of tragedy and heartbreak to before of a memory than a day to day activity.

"Well," He began carefully, "That's because my people's songs and poems have been very melancholy as of late."

"No offense to Aragorn, but his subjects haven't exactly been what we hobbits call lighthearted."

"No," Legolas agreed, swinging backwards off the branch but hooking his knees around it so that he hung upside down, "You're correct they haven't been cherry, but they're of a far less recent heartbreak. More entertainment is had and less uncomfortable silence afterwards."

"Would you tell us one of your people's poems, Legolas?" Frodo asked carefully, watching for signs that their new friend might be growing uncomfortable, "Anyone at all? It would be lovely to hear it!"

The was a few very near identical noises of agreements from the rest of the hobbits. Legolas contemplated the request for a few moments, now that he was putting thought into it, he couldn't remember any poems.

"Since I know you will never recite you own," Aragorn said pointedly, having spent a great deal of time in his younger years trying to convince Legolas to trust him enough to share his various artworks to almost no effect, "How about somebody on your patrol? I know how many songs and poems you all write to help pass the night away. What about one of Avaleina's?"

Legolas loosened his grip on the tree branch and let himself slip farther toward the ground until his hands touched the dirt. Once they did, he released his legs and balanced perfectly upright on his hands. Finally, with one delicate and fluid forward roll, he came to sit next to Aragorn next to the fire. It all took him about four seconds.

"If it's really what you want-"

"It is," Pippin interrupted in his youthful enthusiasm, and Legolas had to smile. He really did enjoy the young hobbit.

"But I warn you, it is not a light nor a happy subject."

"We understand," Frodo assured him, "May we hear it now, please?"

Legolas thought about it for a few seconds, momentarily getting lost within his own memories of the first time it had been told to him. It had been the dead of night and during a storm, they had been trapped at the back of a deep cave as a new crop of fresh hatchling spiders swarmed their forest in a desperate frenzy to find their first meal before they starved to was a relatively limited window.

He had been sitting right beside her. Her hand gripped tightly in his, and yet he still hardly heard all of the words.

Legolas ensured he was louder in his retelling of it:

"There are things in my trees

There's a voice in my head

There's an ache in my heart

A sword in my hand.

.

The days glow warm with victory,

The night have been stolen and cursed.

They bite with the same cold malice

As the heartache that made us all so callous.

.

We subject ourselves to their cold eyes,

We reveal our dire plight.

The voice.

The ache.

Our dying fight.

.

We confess our fears

Then close our eyes, and then our ears

against their laughter and their sneers.

.

They say its for we havnt seen their trees,

Know not the light their wisdom brings.

They dont listen and they dont care,

That their trees have long since disappeared,

Any wisdom that was whispered long since whisked away by the hateful wind.

.

Our stars still shine,

Our forest still grows.

Our hearts are broken,

But onwards we go.

.

Theres so many things to be said,

Theres too many joy's to be had.

It's too bad that there's things in the trees,

And a voice in my head.

.

Our story goes on and on,

Ever we go on and on.

In darkness or in light,

We will rage on against this hateful plight.

Because there are things in the trees,

A voice in my head,

And either they're going to leave or I will.

.

And if tonight's the night they win,

And our battle comes to a weary and drawn out end,

Well,

At least the stars are out and shining,

Knowing there can't be any voices

If I have no longer have a head."

A deep silence filled their campsite, as the fellowship all soaked in the words. Legolas could still hear the echo of Avaleina's whispered voice in his heart. Absently, he brought up his hand up to tug at the ribbon she had braided into his hair before he left for the council.

"Thank you, Legolas," Frodo said after everybody else remained silent, "I know such things cannot be easy for you to repeat, but I appreciate the opportunity to understand you and your people better. It was beautiful."

"Dark and haunting," Gimli added, ignoring the death glare Aragorn began to give him, "But in the most lovely way I've ever heard."


	95. Thief

"Alright, bring me the next," Thingol said, as one citizen left with mandatory hours of service for being an incredibly unruly, extremely drunken disturbance from the day before.

The guards silently brought in the next with two guards uncharacteristically remaining on either side of him. Thranduil took interest when he noticed the guard on the right had a black eye and a very swollen nose.

His interest increased when he realized he recognized the elf standing between them, too. He had seen him expertly steal several fruits and two loaves of bread in one of the city markets hardly a month ago.

Thranduil, out of boredom and mild interest had decided to follow him to see what elf in their city felt the need to steal. And if the reason was unworthy perhaps turn him in for it

He could still remember the shock when six young elflings had come spilling out the house. One of them pointed down the road to where Thranduil stood. That's when the thief noticed him too, and Thranduil had watched his face drain of all color and it looked like he might pass out.

So with a shrug and a waving gesture, Thranduil had just turned and walked away without a glance back. He became aware of Luthien's mind and soul push against his own, absently he pushed the memory towards her.

"What is his crime?" Thingol asked, giving Thranduil a brief inquisitorial glance.

"A string of thieves, my king." The guard with the black eye answered. "And he refuses to tell us his name or family."

Thingol waved mildly for the guards to release his arms, "I assume he was the one who did that to your eye as well?"

"Yes, my king."

This time Thingol spoke directly to the thief, "Why did you do it?"

"Didn't want to get arrested, sir."

"I wasn't asking about the black eye."

Thranduil had to admire him, not many could withstand such direct and unfaltering eye contact with Thingol. Especially when standing before him charged with a crime. "I was aware of that."

Before the situation could spiral in a way that would be unfavorable for the thief, Thranduil spoke for him. "Its food for six elflings, the things he stole. It was food."

On her father's right, Luthien nodded enthusiastically. And the thief leveled a look on Thranduil, the first time he had looked at him at all since he had been brought in, "It's eight elflings, actually."

"And what is an elf so young as you doing with eight elflings?" Thingol asked.

"They're my brothers and sisters and cousins."

"And you cannot provide for them in any other way than theft?"

"I have a job, my king. Two in fact. I work in a lumberyard as a porter or splitter in the day, and in the evening and nights, I help the fishermen haul in their catches and clean them for tomorrow's market. In my spare time, I sing in the streets. It's not enough."

Thingol gave this several moment of quiet contemplation, "Are there none other that can assist you with the family funds?"

"My Nana was taken from us during my youngest sister's birth, Ada hasn't gotten out of bed since. My Aunt does what she can, but my uncle never returned from the first battle against the agents of evil and my sister is but three years old so she has to stay at home with them. I am the only one left, my king, that's able to work."

Before he could even think, Thranduil found himself blurting out of turn, "There's a space on my patrol. It's a bit dangerous, but it pays well. Can you use a sword?"

"Even better than my fists."

Suddenly remembering where they were standing, Thranduil turned an apologetic look to King Thingol who was staring at him with a mildly surprised expression. "Apologies, my king."

Thingol snorted, "You're a worse liar than your father. He will need training, and the next group is not set to start for two months yet."

"I'll train him." Thranduil volunteered immediately, when Thinkgol looked unconvinced, Thranduil hastily added, "What better way to keep me out of trouble?" Thingol just continued to stare at him silently and so Thranduil added, "Please?"

Thingol turned once more back to the thief, "And what do you think of this? Would you accept daily training from Prince Thranduil?"

"Of course, my king, without hesitation." The other elfs eyes were wide as dinner plates, he clearly couldn't believe his luck. He had come for criminal charges and was leaving with a prestigious job offer.

Thingol looked back to Thranduil, "And you're ready to take full responsibility for him and his training?"

"Yes," Thranduil answered, adding a few vigorous nods to prove his point and enthusiasm.

"Very well, Thranduil." Again, Thingol turned his head to look at the thief, who appeared no less shocked by these turn of events. "You are pardoned of your charges, this time. I will arrange for a monetary value to be delivered to the merchants that brought complaints against you, and one delivered to your home to help your family until your first real payment."

"Thank you, my king, for your understanding and mercy."

"You will not find such things again if you are brought to my court for any further crimes."

The thief bowed, "Of course, I understand."

"Good. Your training starts today. Right now."

Taking his cue, Thranduil nearly leapt from his chair and quickly descended the steps that Thingol's throne rested upon. With a final and deep bow to Thingol, the thief scampered after Thranduil and out of the throne room.

"So what is your name, then?" Thranduil asked, "Seems fitting I know it if I am to train you every day."

"Ferdan."


	96. Border

(Small Authors Note that I accidentally deleted the first time i uploaded this lol: The two 'parts' go in reverse orders in time. The Italics tells the story of them going to the Border between Greenwood and Dol Guldur and the Non-Italics tell the story of them coming back from it. Its meant to be a bit disorienting)

* * *

He couldn't look away. He couldn't even blink.

He wasn't even aware he couldn't do any of these things.

All he could do was stare forward at the great wall of light and sensation that drew every part of his heart and soul in like some sort of everlasting dark hole.

Heat blasted against his face, magic seemed to singe his skin.

Thousands of colors in sparks and sensations exploded in front of him. More magic than he had ever felt at once.

He couldn't look away.

The magic pulled him in. The beauty was a vortex.

The hate was just beyond that.

Waiting for him to step beyond that barrier. Into its arms. Into his unknown.

It whispered.

Something pulled at his chest.

* * *

 _The rope that Avaleina tied around his waist and chest was so secure it walked the borderline of being painful. Around him, Legolas tied a similarly tight rope around Elladan and Farlen to Radagast. If the wizard allowed it, Elrohir supposed he wouldn't argue with the percolations._

 _They had asked to come alone, after all. They had left Estel at the stronghold, at everyone's immediate insistence._

 _Avaleina checked the knots again, and Elrohir asked, "Is it really going to be that bad?"_

" _Yes." Legolas, Farlen, and Avaleina answered as one. Lord Ferdan remained silent._

 _Elrohir swallowed and exchanged a look with his twin. Perhaps their curiosity would finally be the end of them._

 _Lord Ferdan broke the silence, as he finished dipping all his arrows in poison, "Thranduil won't let us get lost."_

* * *

He never did ever remember the minutes of leaving the border between Greenwood and Dol Guldur or starting the journey away from it. He never remembered the last few minutes before he reached the border either.

He vaguely remembered stumbling away. Tipping over a root.

A lingering whisper in his mind, but he couldn't remember what it had said. His body could never forget how enticing it was.

He remembered Avaleina's hand in his, pulling him along. Part of him remembered that he couldn't hear anything. Most of him didn't want to.

His legs almost weren't his own.

He didn't remember what came after

* * *

 _They had stopped outside some invisible line. Elrohir could feel it pulling at him like some sort of giant magnet. The forest ahead of them seemed almost deadly silent._

 _It probably was._

 _Most of the patrol that had come with them stayed behind now, only the seven of them would go on._

" _Whoever forgets the most, buys the first round once we wake up," Legolas announced, offering a hand, "The Twin's don't count. They wouldn't stand a chance."_

 _Handshakes were exchanged between the Greenwood warriors going forward; the twins couldn't help but just look forward to the trees stretching out ahead. As various 'deal' was muttered by those participating._

" _The second place buys breakfast tomorrow so we aren't sick. Including a cup of wine." Farlen specified, and there were more sounds of general agreements._

* * *

Air and sound struggled back into his mind. Everything seemed to be going three times faster than him, while his mind went two times slower than normal.

The forest and the ground passed in a dazed blur, the world around him and the voices that surrounded him blended togeather.

His legs moved without him.

Had they gone to the border yet?

If his mind had been under his control, he probably would have regretted insisting on being curious to see the border.

* * *

 _No part of him could remember the last time he heard a noise. A voice. A sound of any kind._

 _He just felt the pull of Avaleina's hand on his. Vaguely he registered she still had a weapon in hand._

 _He didn't have one in his, maybe he had dropped it?_

 _He didn't remember what he had dropped._

 _He couldn't hear anything._

 _Something pulled him in, but a hand kept a strong grip on him, pulling him away._

* * *

Color and sound and light slammed back into him like he had been asleep for days, or underwater against his will.

He gasped and blinked and jerked with surprise. There was still a rope around his middle.

His brain felt like it had been removed from his body and shaken thoroughly. Perhaps beaten against a tree.

No part of his mind could even begin to put the pieces together of how he had gotten here. It felt like it had been twenty years since anything had made sense.

He tripped over something, maybe a root?

* * *

 _He seemed to float the last distance to the border._

 _What a beautiful sight, awash with colors and power._

 _Unique and deadly._

 _The kind of sight no eyes were meant to see once, and especially not twice. And probably not remember._

 _Radagast gathered a plant near his feet. Elrohir couldn't remember why he needed to do that._

 _His eyes burned with the force of magic and emotion and power._

 _He couldn't blink._

* * *

He woke in a bed, safe within the halls of Greenwood. In what appeared to be the healer's ward. The sensations that assaulted him were worse than any handover Elorhir had ever experienced. He tried to think back to the last thing he could clearly remember.

It was sitting around the fire discussing what would likely happen to him after going near the border between Greenwood and Dol Guldur. He could vaguely recall a warning about disorientation and memory loss. They had guessed he would sleep for several days after returning; he and Elladan had just assumed they were exaggerating.

Then there was something about a rope.

Everything was too hard to get in the right over, all his memories seemed fabricated or horribly patchy. They flickered in and out of his mind like a candle flirting with the wind.

Nothing made sense. It was all a jumbled mess.

"Ah, good morning." A pleasant voice said above him, undoubtedly Legolas, "It is a good thing we did not include you or Elladan in our bet for we never would have had our first round, nor our breakfast the next day. A week is a very long time to wait for breakfast."

"I've been asleep for a week?" Elrohir demanded, to the protest of his throbbing headache.

"We warned you about the effect of being Border Drunk but you didn't believe us, not my fault."

 **.0.**

 **Okay, so, we're getting very close to 100 chapters. So I present you with a choice. I'm going to write and extra-long piece in celebration, BUT, would you rather:**

 **Offer suggestions for a part 2 of a past chapter in the reviews for this chapter and vote on them until chapter 100**

 **OR**

 **Have me surprise you?**


	97. Protect

Celebrian kissed Elrond on the cheek and released his hand, "I'll be right back."

He smiled at her knowingly, probably already guessing exactly where she was going to go and for what reason. Because of Elrond understood her, her personality, her large heart, and her thought processes. It was nice to be known like that. "He's been there for several hours, hasn't said a word to anyone. Not even if they say something directly to him."

She kissed his cheek again because she loved him and she felt like it, "Luckily, I'm not just anyone. He could never ignore me," She paused before correcting herself, because if there was anything she had learned from him or about him, was that he could do whatever he liked, "He _would_ never ignore me."

With that she stood and practically skipped across the hall of fire, coming to stand next to Ferdan who lingered by the window, bumping her hip gently against his in a playful manner when he didn't smile at her or say hello.

"Can I help you?" He asked her mildly, moving his attention from where it had been trained outside the window.

"Yes, you can tell me why you're sitting here and brooding all alone when everybody else is having fun."

Not missing a beat he replied, "I find brooding to be a more solo activity."

"So why don't you stop brooding and join a group activity?"

"I'm pretty committed to this window for now. Before you came, that raven and I were having a staring contest. I kept winning but it always wanted a rematch."

"A noble pursuit of your time."

"I'm glad you agree."

She bumped her hip against his again, smiling widely when he did it back. Ignoring the not so secretive stares from some of those in attendance within the hall of fire; at least Elrond had always gifted with subtle people-watching skills. But that didn't mean Celebrian didn't know he was watching just as closely as half of the room.

The dragon fire burns which Ferdan had always put less effort into hiding than Thranduil cast a few small flickering shadows across his face and neck in the firelight. Making them all the more noticeable. It made him look even meaner and more fierce than he had before.

And she had been informed that most people had already found him to be downright terrifying at the best of times. But then, they also told her that Thranduil was terrifying. They tended to stare whenever she talked happily with him, too.

Ferdan growled, sending a few scalding glares to the more obvious onlookers. He wasn't one for crowds to begin with, but especially not crowds he was more than aware were judging him and his friends closely.

Celebrian tucked her arm into his, in an effort to placate him before he said something but also to help make him feel like he wasn't so alone in this room full of people, "This is the first time I've seen you in here since you arrived near three weeks ago, I assume that it's not because the urge finally struck you to be social?"

"What gave it away?"

"Then why are you here? Why have you been leaning against this window for the last three hours in complete misery?"

"Is there any other way to stare out a window?" He answered his own question before she had the chance, "Longing perhaps. Mournfully. Wistfully - Even though I'm fairly certain that only happens in books."

"Can you please answer my question?"

"Can I? Yes, absolutely. Will I, however, is another question entirely," Celebrian rolled her eyes and groaned at him, and he bumped his hip against hers, "I'm just teasing. I'm here because Legolas wanted to come to listen to the stories."

She briefly searched the room until she found where Legolas still sat next to Arwen, both snuggled happily under a blanket. Glorfindel, who had long ago stolen the elfing's attention away from the drawn-out ballads and into far more lively stories continued to weave a vivid verbal tapestry for them. The three seemed largely unaware there was a room of other people around them.

She knew and understood why Thranduil was so protective of his son, but he had left him in the care of (very specific) Imladris residents for short periods of time before. Legolas being still, calm, and unmoving seemed the best time as any for others to be in charge of his care. And yet, it seemed Thranduil and Ferdan did not agree with that sentiment.

"And you need to be standing here the entire time?"

He nodded, once. "In case he needs me."

"Needs you for what? I'm sure any of us here could help him get what he needs, and if not, we can fetch you or Thranduil. You can go relax somewhere that doesn't make you want to pull your hair out."

Ferdan shook his head firmly, his voice managed to be even firmer, "No. I stay here."

It was a firmer tone than he had ever used on her before, and Celebrian almost visibly recoiled from it. He must have sensed this and found some regrets for it because Ferdan continued in a softer voice, "Legolas doesn't like fire."

Celebrian laid her head against his shoulder in silent sympathy at his heartbroken tone, "Sometimes his love for stories will outweigh the dislike, doesn't mean that'll last the night. I'm here in case he needs me to protect him. I'll always be here in case he needs me to protect him."

 **.0.0..0.**

 **(Many, many years later.)**

There were a few loud pops accompanied bursts towering flames to add drama to the story being told, and Celebrian noticed Legolas jump, just a little bit. Subtle enough most of those around him didn't notice. But she did.

And she wasn't the only one.

There was a small whistle, low and soft enough to not disturb the performance or distract the audience but loud enough that Legolas would hear it.

Celebrian watched as Legolas discretely excused himself, weaving through the crowd with more stealth than a shadow and taking the path strategically farthest away from most of the fires. He slid across the far wall until he stood next to Ferdan, nearly as tall as him now.

Subtly, Legolas leaned his entire left side into the older elf. Even more subtly Ferdan repositioned an arm so that it came around the younger's shoulder idly rubbing a hand up and down in comfort.

Ferdan asked him something, accompanied by a slight gesture towards the door with his chin but Legolas just shook his head, eyes still on the storyteller. A ghost of a smile touched the older elfs lips and he rested his head lightly against Legolas' own.

The two remained that way until the end of the story, and then Celebrian watched at the two of them carefully wound their way towards the doorway back into the hall. She didn't miss the incredibly strategic maneuvering on Ferdan's behalf to ensure he was always between the plethora of fireplaces and Legolas on their way out.

 **..0.**

 **Thank you so much for reading! I can't wait to hear your thoughts!**

 **And thank you for all your thoughts and votes and what you might like the celebratory 100th chapter to look like!**


	98. Alright

**Warning.**

 **I cried writing this, you might cry reading it. So like, you've been warned.**

 **.**

 _( Thranduil's horse's name: Nagorn - To bite)_

 _ **(Oropher Horse's name is:**_ _Laergul - Wind Spirit)_

Oropher could not remember any time he had crossed the city as quickly before in his entire life, but he had taken his son's preferred route along the rooftops, leaping across gaps and only descending to the streets when he absolutely had to. Although he had seen Thranduil do this many times before, and was certain his son probably no longer ever needed to descend to the streets.

He leaped from the roof of a house and onto the top of the stables, down the length of them and next to the city gate. Ignoring a few hesitant about shocked questions of, "My Lord Oropher?"

Oropher only had eyes and attention for the guard, to his dismay, "Which way did he go?"

"Left, that's all I know."

He didn't have to ask before somebody put the reins of his horse, Laergul, in his hands. Quickly he mounted and didn't have to tell her to be swift as she went charging out the gates with all the speed she could possibly muster.

Oropher quickly caught sight of his runaway, and he urged his horse faster.

Thranduil glanced back to see who was coming, and seeing his father, spurred his own horse into a gallop. But Oropher knew that Nagorn, Thranduil's horse, had not been properly recently rested. Considering it had not spent even one night in the stable in the last two months.

That was not to say Thranduil never returned home, he returned randomly for a few supplies and to send a message that he hadn't died. He was gone before Oropher ever even got word he had returned home. He didn't intend to let his son get away this time.

As he expected, Nagorn soon began to slow his pace and so without hesitation Orpher tackled his beloved son out of his saddle and into the grass.

Thranduil shoved him off angerly, face near red as an apple, "Are you insane?"

Oropher climbed to his feet and prepared himself for the very real possibility of having to chase him down a second time, "No. Just very determined."

Thranduil went to turn and storm away, but Oropher interfered by grabbing the back of his shirt. He spun back and tried to knock off his father's hand, but he held steadfast with his grip. "Let go of me," Thranduil growled.

"No."

He knew by the expression on Thranduil's face that he was on the verge of losing his temper. Well and truly lose it, in the way that even he himself loathed to do. Contrary to what most seemed to think, it was a rare occurrence.

And when it did occur, there were very few who could calm him down. None as well as Luthien. But Luthien was no longer singing among them on Arda, she had been taken through to the Halls of Mandos and this time she did not come back out.

The day they got the news was the last time he had seen Thranduil.

The nearby cluster of trees nearly cowered to feel the rage coming from Thranduil in all directions. The kind that didn't appear unless there was an even deeper and more harrowing emotion stuffed underneath, like dirt under a rug.

Greif under anger.

"No. I will not let go." Thranduil tried again to turn away, this time going to twist his father's arm into a painful enough position it would force him to release the shirt. But Oropher was quicker than that, his free hand met Thradnuils and in seconds he twisted it behind his back painfully in the same move Thranduil was going to do.

"Let me go!" Thranduil shouted. Screamed, nearly, "Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!"

He writhed in his father's grip, twisting and turning with all of his might to try and get him to release his arm. The only reason the attempts were successful was that Oropher feared Thranduil might actually dislocate his own shoulder in the process.

So he let go, but prepared to make another grasp or tackle at him if need be, "I'm not letting you run away from it anymore, Thranduil."

"Stop touching me and leave me alone!" Then with much more force and speed than even Orpher expected, Thranduil shoved him solidly in the chest. Hard enough his feet left the ground and he slammed into the earth on his back, skidding back several feet when he landed.

He probably looked as surprised as he felt.

Thranduil seemed surprised by it too because he froze in place like a spell was cast on him. Oropher watched as his face went from red to an unhealthy pale white tone, "Ada…. I didn't mean to..."

And just like that, the bubble of anger burst. And all that was left was that was what had been hidden underneath

Oropher got back to his feet quicker than he had done the first time, "It's alright, Thranduil."

Thranduil still stood stock still in front of him, the only movement was the slight tremble that suddenly took over his body. So Oropher moved towards him instead, one hand coming to Thranduil's side while the other rested on his shoulder. "It's alright."

Thranduil blinked once, and suddenly a near endless stream of tears rushed out of eyes, "No, Ada. It's not alright. Nothing is alright. I'm not alright. She's not alright. She's not here anymore. She'll never be here anymore-"

Automatically Oropher pulled his son against him, as tight as he dared without fear of hurting him, "I know. I know you're not alright. I know nothing is alright. I know"

Thranduil's knees gave out beneath him, thankfully Oropher had a tight enough hold to lower them somewhat gracefully back to the grass. This time his body was shaking with soundless sobs, he continued to collapse forward until his chest was pressed against his knees.

Oropher managed to maintain a grip on his son's shoulders as he knelt beside him, his chest pressed against Thranduil's back. "I know it's not alright. I know it feels like nothing is ever going to be alright again. But you have to understand, my dear, sweet son, that's alright. It's alright to feel that way."

Thranduil continued to sob uncontrollably, pieces of his broken heart spilling out with every anguished sound. If Orpher could have ripped out his own heart at that moment given to him, he gladly would have. Anything to ease this pain.

Anything.

"Do you want me to let go?"

Surprisingly Thranduil managed a few words, "Please don't. Let go. Of me."

"Alright."

 **0.0.0.**

 **Did you need a tissue?**


	99. Introduction

**I'm so excited for you to read the 100h chapter!**

 **Warning, this one gets like, pretty angsty.. In an introspective kind of way**

 **0.0.00.**

Legolas stared at the paper in front of him, wishing he was anywhere but there, doing anything but pointless translation exercises into Westron by writing 'an honest introduction'. He hated that some sort of writing exercise was mandatory for any traveling to Imladris He hated this and everybody who had brought him to this moment.

"Legolas." Ferdan snapped.

He took a deep breath and started writing before the weapons master marched over.

 **.**

 _An Honest Introduction,_

 _I firstly feel obliged to inform you I'm writing this under duress, but nonetheless I shall continue because my ears just stopped ringing from this morning and frankly I don't care experience it again._

 _Also, I get to burn this after._

 _My name is Legolas Thranduillion, I'm the crowned prince and only child of my father King Thranduil, last Elvenking east of the sea. I'm a captain in my father's army, and am apart of a specialized patrol. I've been fighting an endless war for so many years that I purposefully lost count on any specifics._

 _My father raised me to be a good, wise, and caring person. I think I used to be all of those things, but sometimes as of late, I feel like I'm only a poor imitation. I'm not sure how I can translate all of my action of all these past years, and call them good._

 _I'm not sure how all of my days can be filled killing, hunting, running, and hurting and call any of it good. I'm not sure how I can remember all the names that were lost to us on my orders, how many of them died in my arms and call myself wise. I'm not sure how I can force myself not to feel just to keep going, and call myself caring._

 _And then I try to remind myself that it is only the darkness talking. Whispering, as it does, endlessly at the backs of our minds. I try to ignore it, sometimes I can. Sometimes I can't._

 _But I keep doing what I know I need to do for my people, no matter what it says to me. What it does to me._

 _I remind myself of how much I love to draw and paint and dance with my friends. I remind myself of the stars and the birds and the forest around me I remind myself that my father, Galion, Uncle Ferdan, Avaleina, Farlen and many other friends love me very much._

 _I remember that we are only defending ourselves, against an evil that will not stop until we are gone._

 _I would rather me suffer these fates, and my hands do these deeds than for the responsibility to fall to another. Because until either every last one of us is dead, or the darkness is vanquished there will always need to be another._

 _I would rather that they remain a good, wise, and caring person than for me to come all this way and give up._

 _I can survive being a shell for a while longer._

 _My name is Legolas Thranduilion, and this is my honest introduction: I know I can be good again, someday, but I'm trying my best until then._

 **0...**

He stood from the table the moment it was finished, showing Ferdan from across the room for hardly a second to prove it as in Westron and of sufficient length before he balled it up. With perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm he threw it in the fire.

Without looking back at anybody else who was writing in the same room he walked out and into the hall.

 _0.00._

 **Hope you liked it!**


	100. One Hundred

**happy 100th chapter! Thank you all for reading and your love and your support and everything else! (dw I'll still see you all next weekend)**

 **This one takes place pretty much right after chapter 95 : Theif**

 **.0.**

Ferdan stumbled out of the Kings back gates late in the evening, Prince Thranduil closed them behind them with a slight clang. With an almost smile he looked back to Ferdan and drew his hood over his head, "I'll see you here early tomorrow, then."

"I have to help get the kids ready for school, I can meet you two hours past sunrise."

"Works for me," Prince Thranduil said, turning away. Without a thought or single moment of preparation, he leapt upwards onto a small pile of boxes resting against a house in an alleyway. With the small leverage, he leaped up to grab the long rails of the balcony and swung himself up.

His feet were not balanced for even a second before he was leaping again, this time catching the edge of the roof and he pulled himself up just as fast, and vanished from view. Half a breath later, Ferdsn could just make our the silhouette of the Prince practically slipping across the rooftops.

Ferdan stood there, stunned for a while at all that had transpired that day. None of it he had been expecting. Least of which was for him to genuinely enjoy Prince Thranduil's company. It was not often he met a mind with such sharp wit attached to a faster mouth.

Now that he had seen his face for himself, Ferdan realized he had since the Prince many times. Always up to something, moving, observing, and laughing.

Ferdan realized that one of the places he had seen him was because he was the same stranger that had dropped bags of food off in their yard several times in a month. He never would have guessed.

He began walking home through the city streets whistling a merry tune, beyond pleased that he could be going home right now when usually he would be about to start his shift at cleaning fish for market.

 **0.0.0.**

By the third day of training, Ferdan was fairly ceratin his legs were so sore that he would never be able to move them again. But still, he rose at the break of dawn and marched across the entire length of the city from the poor outskirts, to the rich main palace.

As usual, Prince Thranduil stood to wait for him near the gates, leaning against a low wall. As usual, he managed to be more casual in a single stance than Ferdan had been in his entire life. Unlike usual, however, was that he did not stand alone.

It was only will power alone that kept Ferdan's steps from faltering because Lady Luthien was perched on top of the wall, leaning an elbow on Prince Thranduil's shoulders, with her head resting upon his.

Both had been laughing but drew quit as he drew nearer. Ferdan came to a stiff stop in front of them and performed what he knew was a very pathetic excuse for a bow. To his surprise, they didn't laugh at him.

This was only the second time he had ever seen the Lady Luthien in person before, and the only time before was when he had been brought before the king for his crimes. Three days ago.

He hoped his hands still didn't reek of fish. They probably did, one could not clean and gut fish for half a decade and have the smell vanish in days.

The Valar were not that nice.

Thranduil stepped away from the wall, without thought or ceremony he turned and put both hands on Luthine's waist and lifted her off the wall and placed her gently on the ground, "You might as well stop trying to do that, you're no good at it anyway. And none of us want such formalities."

Without waiting for Ferdan to respond, Thranduil began leading the way. After giving him a bright and gleaming smile, the Lady Luthien skipped after him. Her impossibly long black hair dancing around her in every direction.

Ferdan forced himself to follow.

They weren't going the way they usually did, but he didn't say a word. Even if he had bothered to ask, he doubted Prince Thranduil would have told him where they were going anyways.

The Prince turned sharply to the right and pulled open a door that seemed to lead to some kind of cellar. With some suspicion, Ferdan followed them down to what indeed appeared to be a large storehouse of preserved or drying foods and barrels of wine.

They all stopped in the most open area, and the Prince turned to Lady Luthien, "Is there anybody here?" She shook her head, "Good."

"So are you going to tell me why it looks like we're having a secret meeting?" Ferdan asked, crossing his arms across his chest to make sure his hands didn't have the chance to shake. This all seemed so paper-thin, like one wrong breath from him would have him back to two jobs that didn't even cover the bills.

"Because this is a secret meeting," Lady Luthien answered cheerfully, "Right, Thranduil?"

"I mean, I probably would not have been as blunt as you-"

"For the first time, ever," She interrupted swiftly and smoothly, throwing a wink to Ferdan.

Prince Thranduil glared at her briefly but continued on seamlessly, "I would have probably said something along the lines of 'planned meeting of select individuals'"

"Sounds like a secret meeting to me." Lady Luthien interrupted again.

This time Thranduils glare was far more cutting and sustained, "Would you like to be invited to the next one?"

She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out to him, "Like you could have kept it from me if you tried."

" _Anyways,"_ Thranduil stressed, before pulling a folded piece of parchment from within his pocket and handed it to Ferdan, "Its about this."

He unfolded it carefully and looked at the poster. He knew the sight instantly, the city was absolutely covered with near-identical posters advertising for the annual Warriors Ladder competition. Where everybody and anybody who was foolish enough to believe that they could defeat all of the other fools for the chance to win the prize and a title.

Ferdan had never considered himself a fool, but he was getting the sneaking suspicion that Prince Thranduil did. He looked back up from the poster, "And?"

"Suppose you were the one to win this year, would that help your family?"

He narrowed his eyes, trying to see if this was some sort of weird joke that he didn't understand, "That kind of money could help my entire street."

"Fantastic, so tonight before you go home register yourself before they close the signup."

Ferdan forced his eyes not to swell with surprise, he wasn't sure how successful he was, "With both you and Beleg Cuthalion competing?" He snorted and handed the flyer back, "I'll pass, thanks. I think I've been humiliated enough for this century."

"What if Beleg and I managed to get ourselves disqualified?"

He looked between the two royals with confusion, "What?"

Thranduil cleared his throat, "I think that if you let me train you just a little bit harder, in three months time I could make you good enough to win the competition. I've already spoken with Beleg and he agreed to help me ensure that he and I will face one another before we face you."

"It helped Beleg still owes you several favors." Luthein lightly added when Thranduil took a slight pause.

He gave her a slightly wicked grin but otherwise continued seamlessly," And if, let's say, when the time comes for our match both just so happen to do something against the rules and get disqualified. And if somebody were to place a very, very large bet on you, and then trick all the other warriors and young nobles into betting on Beleg or me, whoever placed the bet on you could stand to win a very hefty amount indeed."

Lady Luthien seemed to take her cue now that he had finished speaking, "And I'm sure that whatever anonymous better would be more than happy to donate all of her winnings to the champion."

Ferdan stood there in what he imagined was the most idiotic expression on his face, at a loss for anything else to say, he simply asked: "You managed to plan all of that in the three days since you've met me?"

"He planned it all in one night, the first day you two met" Luthien corrected, with a proud smile, "Thranduil wastes no times when it comes to schemes and planning them."

The Prince just shrugged, "I wanted to be sure you had enough talent and discipline to make it that far in three months. What do you say, Ferdan, do you have as much faith in yourself as I have in you?"

Ferdan looked between the two of them again, still searching for any signs this would end in his disfavor. Normally he would turn such an offer down, certain that it would end disfavorably for him, that there was some sort of angle for their benefit specifically.

But thus far, he had never been given a reason to doubt the sincerity of Prince Thranduil's offers and words. Ferdan very much doubted that the Prince would ever possibly try to do anything an underhanded or sneaky way by choice.

And so he said, "I'm willing to try anything once."

Prince Thranduil grinned, "Good. We'll be training you down here from now on, so nobody can see what we teach you. Let's start."

 **.0.0.0**

Lady Lutheins - just Luthien, he corrected himself since had been told and over again not to use titles, a difficult adjustment to say the list - light, narrow but highly effect wooden staff rapted on his back.

Enough to surprise him and annoy him, but not enough to hurt, "Don't hunch like that."

"Ugh," Was all he managed, sidestepping to the right to avoid Prince - just Thranduil's - attack. He successfully dodged the sword, but narrowly. He hadn't fully got his balance again before he had to dive to the side to avoid another one.

He rolled across the ground until he was at least he was a few strides away, and then quickly got to his feet. But Thranduil was already next to him again.

Sweat stung his eyes he as he brought the sword up to meet Thrandui's, blocking a blow to his side. Out of instinct, he moved the blade down the second he felt the pressure lesson and blocked a stab aimed lower.

The force of them both almost rattled his bones.

Lutheins staff poked his back again, "Don't put your weight so much on your heels."

Ferdan adjusted quickly, but Thranduil apparently wasn't satisfied that he had learned the lesson. He performed similar attacks, one above and one below. Not exactly the same as before but close enough. As Ferdan blocked the second bone-rattling attack.

"Because then I can do this," Thranduil said as he forcefully separated their weapons, pushing him backward. He might have been able to correct his balance had Thranduil not also hooked his foot a the back of his ankle the same moment most of his weight and stability rested on his heels, and pulled his own feet out from under him.

Ferdan crashed onto the layer of thick hay that had somehow appeared the very next day after they had told him of the scheme to soften the blow of defeats such as this. But most importantly, protect his face from the stone-cold floor.

Thranduil didn't bother putting his knife to the back of his neck, everybody knew he would have been dead. Instead, he offered Ferdan a hand up and an easy friendly smile. Ferdan found himself easily accepting both.

Once he was standing, Thranduil bent to pick up his fallen sword, "You're getting much better. Let's go again, and I'll show you some better ways to block."

 **.0.0**

Whap. "Don't overthink it."

Whap. "Don't leave yourself open like that."

Whap. "That joke was too crude, even for me."

Whap. "You left yourself open again.

Ferdan was fairly certain he would never be able to look at pine the same way again, because of that damn rod. Luthien had promised that if he won, then he could do whatever he liked with it as revenge.

Whap. "Pay attention."

 **.0.**

Ferdan was leaning against a wall at the edge of the city squire, arms crossed and ears only half-listening to the play that was happening on the stage. He was only here because two of his younger sisters and one cousin had wanted to come, and they were too young to go alone.

But as he looked around the square he wasn't surprised to see that as more members of his street got off their long workday, all the little ones were safe and asleep in arms that would carry them home. He just hadn't got the will to wonder home yet.

And then something that felt suspiciously like a pebble hit his shoulder, and he frowned. Another hit him in the cheek and this time he turned his head to the left, in the direction they had come. He didn't immediately see anything until another one smacked his throat from a noticeably upwards direction.

Ferdan looked up to the roof and only spotted Thranduil crouched on the side of it because he had removed the hood that hid his brilliant blond hair. He made a beckoning motion with his hand, and then pointed to a ladder on the side of the building.

When he didn't make any motion to move, Thranduil threw another pebble. So he moved.

Ferdan slipped through the crowds, stopping at all the friends who had taken his charges into their arms to tell them he was leaving; two mothers kissed his cheek and told him it was about time he had fun, the last, the only blacksmith on their street only nodded once with acknowledgment but continued to gently rock little Rithien in his arms. Ferdan lovingly kissed her on the cheek before walking away.

He made short work of the ladder and climbed onto the roof, startled to find that Thranduil was accompanied by Luthien, Beleg, and two other young nobles he didn't know. As if sensing his mild panic, Luthien gave him her characteristic impossibly bright and welcoming smile, "Come and sit, I promise we're much more fun than leaning against a wall with a frown on your face."

"Maybe that is my idea of fun," Ferdan said, but nonetheless took the offered spot that had been created for him between Luthien and Thranduil.

Thranduil handed him a waterskin, "That's my idea of fun, but to each their own I suppose."

He knew it wasn't water, but he wasn't expecting it to be stronger than wine. A few of them laughed when he sputtered slightly, which quickly turned into appreciative grunts when he took a second, longer drink.

"Yeah, I'd drink like that too if I had to spend nine hours a day with Thranduil." One of the unknown warriors said, getting a laugh from the others.

"I don't think you will ever have to worry about spending nine hours with him, Madrion." Luthien said, "Thranduil would knock you out within the first three."

The group almost roared with laughter, and Ferdan found himself easily laughing along with them.

"It is a good thing you're here, Ferdan." Beleg said, and pointed to one of the actors, "We can't hear what they're saying from here so we've been making our own dialogue. But we were one person short, and I'm tired of listening to Thranduil be do characters."

"In the purple cloak?"

"Yes, it'll bring out your eyes."

 **..0**

They all heard the door open at the same time at the far end of the cellar. Ferdan watched as Thranduil and Luthien exchanged alarmed expressions.

'What did you do' Luthien mouthed to him, listening as the soft footsteps drew nearer.

Thranduil gestured helplessly with an accompanying shrug, and then mouthed, 'You?'

She did the same shrug gestures as him.

Another few silent moments later, King Thingol himself and Prince Oropher stepped into the room they had claimed for their own at the farthest end of the cellar. Ferdan tried his best to blend in with the wall, or a barrel, or anything else that wanted to pity him at that moment.

"Hello Ada, Uncle Oropher," Luthien greeted brightly, giving them both her usual bright smile, "I hope you are well today."

"Remarkably so," King Thingol began.

Prince Oropher continued on seamlessly, "So much so that it suddenly came to our attention we hadn't been informed of any mischief or misbehaving on either of your behalfs for some time now."

Quickly enough that Ferdan idly wondered if they had practiced it, King Thingol continued once more, "Which led us to the conclusion that the two of you must have managed to get away with whatever you've managed to get away with."

"For over a month," Prince Oropher looked to his son as he said it.

King Thingo looked to his daughter, "Which, I will admit, is a concern of ours."

Thranduil and Luthien looked to each other and Ferdan could have fainted with relief that at least nobody was looking at him. The two of them must have made a decision, because they looked back to their respective parents.

"You haven't heard of any mischief and misbehaving because we have not done any for you to hear about," Luthien countered sweetly.

Ferdan could admire a person who could cover illegal gambling and slight bribery with such ease.

Thranduil continued, "Did I not say that helping to train Ferdan would keep me out of trouble? Should you really be complaining that I've kept Luthein with me?"

King Thingol narrowed his eyes, "You'll have to excuse my skepticism in your statements, mostly due to past experiences."

"Entirely due to past experiences," Prince Oropher corrected.

Then to his great dismay, King Thingol turned his attention directly onto Ferdan, "I hope Thranduil has not been entirely rude to you?"

"Not yet, my King," He answered stiffly, "But the year is yeat young."

King Thingol smiled a little, "He's teaching you well?"

"The best teacher who's ever taken the time to give me a chance, sir."

"Hmm, well, don't let them teach you any bad habits, either." That statement was accompanied slightly sour and accusing glares to Thranduil and Luthien.

"I wouldn't dream of it, my King."

Prince Oropher gestured between the young royals, "We're watching you."

And then they turned and left.

 **.0.**

There was a somewhat firm but quite knock on their front door, Ferdan was the only one left one the first floor so he got up to get it, putting his book on the table. At least his legs didn't ache as much as they used to from the practice.

He swung the door open and was stunned to find Thranduil standing in the doorway, "Hello?"

"Ah, I was hoping I had the right house." Thranduil said with a smile, like he hadn't been delivering food here like a reverse thief, "Are you busy?"

"Not entirely, why?"

"Some of us are going out to the forest to see if the migration has started yet."

Ferdan was confused as to why he was suddenly involved in these shenanigans, "The city gates are closed for the night, and there's no way we could go over a wall without a guard seeing us."

"Correct. But I happen to know a certain Prince that knows where to go _under_ it without being seen." He stepped back off the doorstep and into the gentle starlight and spread his arms invitingly, "What do you say? Wanna learn a few bad habits?"

Grabbing his cloak off the hook he yelled up the stairs, "Goodbye! Love you! Be back later!"

He waited until there were a few chorused replies, with a smile he stepped out of his house and next to Thranduil, "I think I could stand to learn a few."

 **..**

Ferdan watched with his breath held as Thranduil and Beleg casually strolled closer to one another across the sparring field.

So much of this plan rested on the acting skills of the two blond warriors. And their timing to manage to get both of them disqualified at the same time.

When they met in the middle they bumped fists and clanged swords together briefly, and wished each other good luck. After they turned and walked a few paces away again, and got in their chosen stances to wait for the horn to be blown.

When it did, they flew into a flurry of motion. So fast that a few sparks flew from where they clashed like personified forces of nature. They twisted and turned, flipped and dived. In a matter of minutes, the horn blew again, twice.

Disqualification.

Feradn hadn't even managed to see what they had done, but the referee apparently had. Thranduil made a bit of a show of obviously arguing with the one who called out their behavior.

But as they marched back off the field, Ferdan easily noticed the wink both of them sent his way.

 **.0.**

The tip of his blade rested against his opponent's throat, "You're dead."

With a dull thud, the other's blade fell to the ground.

Ferdan won.

He had clawed his way to the top of the ladder. He had beaten everyone, everyone who hadn't gotten themselves purposefully disqualified.

He could hardly believe it.

The crowd erupted with cheers so deafening it was hard to recognize there was even any sound at all. With dazed eyes, he turned to look at the King's booth, where Thranduil and Luthien were both literally jumping up and down screaming with joy and pride.

He won.

He couldn't believe he won.

He turned to look to where his Auntie sat with his siblings and cousins, finding her sobbing near uncontrollably. Dropping his sword and momentarily forgetting where he was, and that he was likely supposed to be getting some sort of ribbon or trophy for his accomplishment, he raced across the dirt arena.

He leaped easily over the low wooden wall that separated the fighters from the audience, and took the stairs two at a time until he came to where his family had settled themselves. His aunt met him at the end of the aisle, and threw her arms around his neck and continued to sob.

Ferdan held her tightly, and rubbed his hands up and down her back, "See, I told you that we would be okay. I told you that I would fix everything. I told you."

"I know you did, I know." She sobbed harder, and all their dear little elfings swarmed them both all cheering and jumping with excitement, "I'm just so happy you won't have to practically kill yourself and break your back every day and night to do it."

"Training with Thranduil wasn't that bad." It wasn't what she was referring to, he knew that. But at this moment, in front of all these people, he couldn't address the long days followed by long nights he had spent in whatever place doing whatever job they would give him. "I would have done it forever if I had too. Gladly."

"I know you would have, I know."

 **.0.0.**

They told him that the party they held that night was one many couldn't forget. However, it almost seemed as if Thranduil had made it his mission to make sure that Ferdan would never remember.

Any of it.

But he had been well informed by many that he had seemed to have had an excellent time. He had woken up in the city guards holding cells, with Thranduil next to him. Neither remembered what they had done for someone to feel the need to bring them there, but they assumed they well deserved it.

Prince Oropher came to retrieve them not long after they woke, saying nothing other than, "Again, Thranduil? Really?"

 **.0**

Thranduil held up a hand for silence and as a warning; danger was coming. They listened as clunky footsteps approached from across the river. More orcs than he would like to see with just the two of them, but not enough that he was worried.

After years spent on patrol in the surrounding forest and beyond together, they moved as nearly one being. Especially after months of relentless training together years before. They were connected, they were together, the were unstoppable.

Ferdan lowered himself in the undergrowth, as Thranduil pressed against a tree and seemed to almost vanish next to it. They waited.

The orcs never knew what hit them.

 **.0**

He wasn't often struck with the enormity of change Thranduil had casually strolled into his life with. Had poured hours and days and months of work into.

Thranduil had never told him why he had done it, any of it. Not turning Ferdan in the first day he saw him, delivering them food, stopping his punishment, training him, the scheme, and everything else since then and in between.

The closest he ever got to an answer was: "I was bored, it seemed fun."

But Ferdan wasn't convinced by his cavalier attitude to it all. He had learned better, and observed better. Thranduil didn't do anything without a valid reason, as much as he liked to pretend otherwise, 'fun' had never counted as a reason. Even for the trouble-causing prince. He suspected that Thranduil had seen suffering, and automatically snatched up any opportunity to help.

It was something Ferdan had watched him do for years now. To anything that needed help, if he could provide it. Even sometimes when he shouldn't have.

Funny to think that such a smart mouth and loose temper was attached to such a delicate heart. It was exactly the same thing Ferdans family usually said about him.

He didn't often think about the change Thranduil brought into his life, but as he stood guard in Thingol's throne room and heard another say, "The charge was for stealing, my King." It was all he could think about.

He must have made some sort of strangled noise, because King Thingol turned his head to the left to give him a somewhat concerned but amused expression, "Alright, Ferdan?"

"Yes, my King."

"Did you have something to say?"

"Not intentionally."

"Unintentionally?"

"Will you allow me to help him find a suiting position of service in your castle?"

Thingol looked back to the thief, who was very nearly trembling. Ferdan remembered when he had been in the exact same position, he just hoped they hadn't been able to see him trembling from where they sat, "Do you have any skills?"

"Some cooking talent. Gardening. My Nana says I'm the only one who could scrub her pots right."

Thingol looked back to Ferdan silently, which he took as his cue, "I'll take him to the kitchen with your leave, my King, see if they have any positions."

"Very well, if they do not have a spot, find anything else you think might be acceptable and come and tell me of the decision afterward."

 **0.0.0..0**

"So, what I'm hearing is that there's nothing else for me to do today," Thranduil said with a hopeful expression to his King, slowly easing a few steps back. Following his lead, Ferdan eased backward as well.

He watched the two of them with a resigned but affectionate expression, "It appears I might not have much of a choice either way."

Thranduil continued slipping towards the door, but slowed his pace even more, "Technically, you always have a choice. You are the king after all."

King Thingol looked to Ferdan, who at least at the decency to freeze his retreat while under the direct gaze, "I should have known you could not hold out on not learning his bad habits."

"I'm very persuasive," Thranduil said smoothly, easing the door handle gently with his hand behind his back.

"Fine, be gone with you two. I will see you at the end of your hunting trip."

Thranduil threw the door open and nearly dove outside, "Run, Ferdan! Before he changes his mind!"

 **0.0.0..0**

Ferdan had never seen grief and absolute heartbreak so personified and crystal clear than the look on Thranduil's face as he stared at the King's body, feeling as every sense of Queen Melian left their realm and souls.

 **.0**

He didn't really remember much of when the city burned, he did, however, remember the dwarf's face who had stabbed him right through his thigh when he was just trying to run to his burning house to get his family.

He remembered Thranduil checking on him long enough to ensure he wasn't dying, before he rushed off through the burning street to Ferdan's house himself. The city outskirts had been the first place the dwarves attacked.

Everything after that was a blur, but he had been told he had gotten back up again to fight and protect.

He just remembered the feeling when Thranduil told him that not all of his family had survived the attack. He remembered how many burns Thranduil had to prove that he had searched the entire house top to bottom, even as the flames grew around him to ensure that none been left behind.

After, there was nothing until he saw his aunt's body, and his youngest sister. His father had died in the same bed he hadn't left in years. They didn't find anything of the two others.

He remembered that Thranduil didn't leave his side until they heard Prince Oropher's near-hysterical shouts, "Thranduil! Thranduil! Has anybody seen my son?"

He could vaguely remember how near-instantly the shield that Thranduil had painstakingly built around himself crumbled at the sound of his father's voice. "Ada!" As if by teleportation, Oropher was in front of his son, close enough to hear his devastated voice, "They took Nana. They took her. I tried to save her, but I was too late. I was too late."

"I know they did," Oropher managed, pulling his son into his arms as Thranduil continued to fall apart at every seam imaginable, "I know."

"They took everything."

"Not everything. Not you, not me, not Ferdan." Upon hearing his name said with such affection restarted Ferdan's own tears of devastation, Oropher moved one arm away from Thranduil to open it to Ferdan, "Come here."

After that, his memory failed, for the most part, him until months after the second ransack of their city at the hands of Feanor's sons. The only reason he had any idea of any of his actions or his life was because of Thranduil.

Thranduil remembered everything. Always. The poor bastard.

He was told that Prince Oropher had taken what was left of Ferdan and his family into his protection. He was told that Prince Orpher had allowed them to live in the same home as he and Thranduil had, paid for and arranged all for all their needs. Had tried his best to do what was right on their behalf.

Ferdan was told that he himself had sent what was left of his family to Lindon after Luthien's death, with an escort arranged by Oropher. A decision he never once stopped being thankful for, even if he could not remember making it.

 **.0.0.**

His family didn't seem surprised when he ultimately decided to follow Thranduil and Oropher east and out of Lindon.

His family had grown into a beautiful life here, and he had merely tolerated it. They had gotten married and started families of their own, they had healed from wounds. Physical and spiritual.

Ferdan loved them all deeply, but his heart had stubbornly held onto the same hurts it got the nights of the attacks.

He couldn't heal them here, they all knew it.

 **.**

He stopped his horse just to the right of Thranduil's at the head of their line, waiting for Oropher to be satisfied enough to depart. On Thranduil's other side was Galion, and after pointedly waiting for him to notice that fact Thranduil said, "Pay up."

"Ugh." He began digging into his coin purse, "This is absurd. You're a Prince, why am I paying you?"

"Don't make the bet if you're just going to complain."

"I hate you."

"That's fine, money please."

Ferdan tossed the owed money into his lap, Galion watched the entire exchange, "Did you two bet on whether or not I would actually show up this morning?"

"Yes." They both answered flatley.

"Are you serious?"

Thranduil nodded, "I made good money," raising his voice so that his father could also hear he continued, "Once Ada pays up!"

Oropher ignored him.

"Unbelievable."

"Ready for a few hundreds of years of this?" Ferdan asked him.

"I think I can manage."

"Ah, you say that now," Oropher commented, still a fair distance away.

"I guess we'll find out."

 **.0.0.**

 **Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!**

 **I'll see you all next weekend!**


	101. Fungi

"Excuse me?" A voice asked, calm and polite in every manner. Mereneth turned from the book she was transcribing to see who it was, shocked to find it was Prince Thranduil. After all the herbs and tea he had been given, she had been told that it seemed likely that he would not wake until tomorrow afternoon.

Apparently not.

"Yes?"

"Could you get me a glass of water, please?"

She almost tripped when she got out of the chair and moved to the table at the edge of the room, "Of course." She didn't pour it all the way to the top in case her hand trembled on her way back, she had never been so close to royalty before.

By the time she turned back towards his bed, Prince Thranduil had managed to prop himself somewhat upright regardless of his broken ribs. She handed it to him, and he smiled in a manner that took all the breath from her lungs.

She had never seen a smile like that, so open, honest, and pure. He took a sip before telling her, "Thank you."

"Of course, my Prince. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thank you, that's it." She nodded to him and turned away, trying to ignore the disappointment that suddenly appeared in her heart. Mereneth wasn't expecting him to speak to her again, "Unless…"

She turned back around to face him, unable to help the smile she felt touch her face, "Yes?"

"Unless you want to tell me about that book you're so interested in?"

"My book? Uhm," She glanced back to her desk where the only candle in the room was still burning, "It's about medical plants and their many uses and how to prepare them."

He smiled again, and for a moment she could have sworn it was brighter than the candle, "Sounds very interesting."

"Really? Because it isn't."

"I think anything would be interesting if you were the one to tell me about it."

It felt as if her face was actually on fire with the power of the blush the words brought, "What if I told you about the next book, which is about on what animal dung to find specific fungi?"

"I would still be riveted."

Mereneth's heart was pounding so hard in her chest that she was certain he would be able to hear it, "Well, if you want me to tell you about my fungi book, then you will have to tell me what you did to bring yourself here?"

"The story isn't as interesting as fungi."

"I think anything would be interesting if you were the one to tell me about it."

She could have sworn she saw his turn scarlet in response, "Well, Ferdan and I were out in the forest minding our business when we noticed that there was some poor wolf stuck in the middle of the river. It had a good bite hold on some branches of a tree caught on a boulder."

Almost without noticing she did it, Mereneth slid into the chair at his bedside while he continued, "Ferdan told me not to do it. That the river was too deep with the runoff and I would get swept away into one of the great caverns the water flows into and smash myself on the rocks at the bottom. And that he would leave me there if it did happen."

"And then?" She asked when he didn't immediately continue.

He laughed, and it was somehow so much better and brighter than his smile, "And then I went to get the wolf anyways. I managed gently toss it close enough to the shore that it made it out of the water right before the current took me and did exactly what Ferdan said it would do. He didn't leave me at the bottom, though. But he did complain the entire time we struggled home."

She laughed with delight, and he smiled widely to hear it, "That was not exactly the heroic act I was expecting to have broken so many of your bones, Prince Thranduil."

"Just Thranduil, if you would," He corrected gently.

Mereneth nodded once as she said, "Thranduil."

His ears turned red when he heard her say it, "Do I get to know your name? Or do I get to learn about fungi from some nameless beauty I'm sure to think had to have been a dream when I wake up tomorrow."

"Mereneth," She said, resisting the urge to fidget with her hair or with her hands.

Thranduil smiled at her again, "I have never been so honored to meet somebody before this moment, Mereneth."

"I find that hard to believe."

"So give me time to prove it to you."

Mereneth logical part screamed that she couldn't fall in love with the prince. She couldn't. She wouldn't. But the emotional part of her took control of her mouth and said, "I suppose I could be convinced."

"Good, I'm glad," Thranduil adjuted himself slightly on the pillows and fixed her with his full attention, "So, fungi?"

The logical part of her mind continued to scream, the emotional part continued to ignore it, but as both parts eventually recognized the sun rising with the morning they knew nothing they did could change anything.

Mereneth was so in love her mind was drowning in it.

 **.0.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it!**


	102. History

The dust swirled gently in the afternoon sun, the only movement in the entire library. The only moment that had happened for some time, even though Thingol had found the book and page he so desperately sought near half an hour ago.

With great force, and a trembling hand he turned the final page until the neatly handwritten title greeted him: **Oropher & Thranduil Orophrion - After King Elu Thingol's death, and ransacking from the Darwves. **

He took a few more deep breaths and then forced himself to start reading.

 **.0.**

 _Prince Oropher of Doriath was one of the very few of King Elu Thingol's kindred to survive the second attack upon the city of Menegroth. Little is known about his exploits during the battle but it is rumored that his son, Prince Thranduil Orphorion, was responsible for slaying one of the sons of Feanor when they sought and eventually succeded to destroy King Dior._

 _According to stories, Oropher and his son both fled the city separately, and would not reunite for several weeks, each having collected an incredible amount of refugees from their city by that time. It is said that the forest of their homeland guided them back together and the reunion of the two groups was a merry one even the wake of their tragedy._

 _It was under Oropher's leadership and guidance that the remnants of the Kinslaying managed to flee to the city of Lindon, where they remained for a short time._

 _Not long after their arrival, Prince Orpoher collected those of his people that wished to accompany him and left Lindon to travel eastwards. It is said that they came upon a group of Silvan Elves in a forest known as Greenwood the Great (it is unknown if they were aware of the Silvan presences in the forest and had gone there purposefully to be with them, or if it was an accident.) Oropher was crowned their King in S.A 750 and founded the kingdom of the Woodland Realm deep within the forest._

 _Little is known about the happenings or occurrences within the forest or the kingdom. It is said that very few every visited the kingdom, and it was not often any left it. The only notable exception to this appears to be Lord Celeborn of Lothlorien, who was also a resident of Menegroth before its fall, and his daughter Lady Celebrian._

 _Nothing was heard from King Oropher directly until he was called upon by High King Gil-Galad of the Noldor to join the other free people of Arda in their final battle against evil in the cursed lands of Mordor. It was during this battle on S.A 3434 that King Oropher was slain. (See chapter ten for more information on the War of the Last Alliance)_

 ** _0.0.0._**

Thingol to stop reading for a second, the words had made him so dizzy he feared he might pass out. After a few steadying breaths, his desperate curiosity called him back to the pages.

 **0.0.0.**

 _His son, Prince Thranduil, survived the attack and took up the leadership of their people, the armies of Greenwood remained until after the Seige of Barad-Dur in S.A 3441. As the seven-year war drew to an end and it was time to lead their people home, over two-thirds of Greenwoods original force had been slain._

 _Upon his return to the Woodland Realm, Thranduil was quickly crowned King. Around the same time, Thranduil Ophorion married a Silvan elleth by the name of Mereneth and made her his queen._

 _Exact dates are unknown but within a few centuries of his succession to the crown, King Thranduil and his Queen had a son who they named Legolas. Not long after his birth, their city was attacked by forces of evil and many of their people were killed. Among them was Queen Mereneth._

 _Both King Thranduil and his son Prince Legolas survived, and they and their people came to inhabit a mountain and build a stronghold within it. They continued to have little contact with the other elven realms around them, but it is said they grew to have close working relationships with the towns of men near the borders of their forest. Some reports claim that King Thranduil also worked with several of the Avari clans, but no proof has yet been exhibited._

 _During the course of the third age, the forest of Greenwood grew darker and fraught with hate and creatures of evil until eventually, it began to be known by those around it as Mirkwood._ _Spiders the size of horses began to infest the woods while Orc and Warg packs did their best to cause as much trouble as possible. Their former capital of Amon Lanc become a fortress of evil known as Dul Guldur, from which all these creatures came._

 _In T.A 2941 a group of dwarves led by Thorin son of Thrain and Mithrandir woke the fire drake Smaug which had come to inhabit a nearby mountain. Smaug burnt the nearby human village of Laketown to cinders and was slain by one of the residents._

 _King Thranduil is said to have quickly sent help and supplies, along with a sizable army. After a brief siege of the mountain, King Thranduil's force was attacked by a massive force of evil. What followed came to be known as the Battle of the Five Armies, one of them including the Great Eagles. (See chapter 13 for more information)_

 _Both King Thranduil and Prince Legolas were present for the battle, and both survived, though many of their people were lost._

 _Nothing more is known about Greenwood until Prince Legolas appeared in Rivendell for the council of Elrond in T.A 3018 to discuss the fate of the One Ring of Power. It was at this council that Prince Legolas volunteered to join the Fellowship of the Ring which sought to take the ring to Mordor and destroy it once at for all, of which he survived. (For more information about the Fellowship, please see chapter seventeen.)_

 _King Thranduil fought the Battle Under the Tree's during this time, which eventually ended with Dol Guldur being destroyed not long after the destruction of the One Ring._

 _At the time of the completion of this book, King Thranduil remained the ruler of the now restored Greenwood the Great._

 **.**

Thingol sat back in the chair again and could do nothing but blink for a few minutes in slow and careful contemplation of everything he had just read. Somehow not surprised in the slightest to discover that the only member of his family to crawl their way through the ages had been Thranduil, and shocked at the sheer enormity of change his nephew would have been forced to undergo to manage such a feat.

He cast his eyes down the bookcases, wondering how many others might offer him scraps of information about the one's he had loved so dear but left behind so long ago.

But then he put those thoughts to the side and looked up what page number Legolas Thranduillion was on.

 **0.0.**

 **Can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	103. Chapter 103

Already out of breath Avaleina counted, "One, two, three, four, five, six-"

She spun around, on the verge of frantic. She thought she had everyone. She thought - "Where's Galdahon?"

The others looked around.

"The spiders…" Someone wondered out loud.

Before any of them could get any more out, she was already running exactly the way they had come.

"Ava no!" Someone screamed.

She didn't bother to leave the ground for the treetops, soon everything would be dead anyway. There would be no soul inside the bark to help her.

She needed to be fast. She needed to reach him before they crossed the border.

She needed to get him back before nothing could save him.

She couldn't hear a thing as she ran. Not her footsteps, or her heart, not even her ragged breathing.

The only thing she could feel was the pull and the push of the border as she drew nearer to its volatile mix.

Over the hill, past the magical border between Thranduil's power and Gol Dulrur's power, she watched them disappear over the hill with Galdahon alive and in agony.

An attempt was made at a deep breath, but her lungs might have done anything and Avaleina wouldn't have been able to tell.

She crashed through the barrier.

It burned every inch of her, and felt like the coldest ice all at once. Like the sun had been put in half of her, and the void of space in the other. It took her heart, but made it so she didn't need it. Nothing existed for a moment.

And then she fell to the other side.

Ringing and howling and laughing filled her mind. And it took her a second to realized she had collapsed to the ground.

Another second to realize the howling and laughing was coming from an orc heading straight for her.

With a numb body and mind, she managed to grab her bow and arrow, shooting him right between the eyes. He dropped.

She still couldn't hear the thud.

The laughing continued, smug like it knew something she didn't. This time difference, this time in her heard. But it had been exactly like what had spilled out of the Orc.

She shot the two others that were with him and then climbed up from where she had turned to kneel in the mud. Then the ran again.

It still didn't stop, and she could hear nothing else.

She slipped twice on the hill, plastering her completely in mud. It didn't slow her down.

Avaleina crested it, and everything stopped.

Galdahon was surrounded by spiders, circling, pushing each other to see he would eat him.

The voice stopped laughing enough to ask, ' _Are you going to shoot him?'_

It felt like everything stopped. She pushed against him with everything inside of her mind, but the voice wouldn't leave. They were on his land now. She was at his mercy.

Soon everything would all be his land, his mercy.

' _Go ahead, shoot him. Kill him. Do it.'_

One of the spiders seemed to be winning, she wouldn't be able to fight them all. She raised her bow.

' _That's right, right between the eyes. Like you did be for. Don't be shy, I know you can do it.'_ She could hear the sneer in the intentions of the words. She felt it.

It was the only thing she felt.

And then Galdahon screamed, and it was so full of terror and hopelessness that it chased away everything in her mind.

Hands steady, she raised her bow and aimed. An apology her ears still would not let her hear slipped from her lips, and then she let go.

Right between the eyes.

She knew he was dead, and so she turned and ran. As that laughter filled her head again, " _Good job, little girl. Now run back to your King and cry about the abomination you've become.'_

She ran back through the barrier, she didn't even remember running down the hill towards it.

Everything was hot and then cold and then there was nothing at all.

 **0.0.0.**

The room almost stopped spinning long enough for her to tell where she was. Almost.

"Of all the stupid and useless things my warriors have pulled over the years, this has got to be one of the worst, Avaleina!" Judging by the volume of Ferdan's yelling, they weren't in the healing ward.

The bed was too comfortable to be her on.

Without her permission, or even a warning her body went to be sick lurched forward where there was suddenly a bowl under her face, and a hand holding her hair, only to find there was nothing left in her to come out.

She collapsed back onto the pillows, eyes closed, "What about that time we lured a bunch of spiders with ourselves as bait in a little pit and set them on fire."

A cold compress was gently placed on her forehead, but Ferdan's voice was still stern, "No, this was still dumber."

"When we lied about visiting Beorn so could we hunt a pack of orcs?" Her voice sounded pathetic, even to her.

"Dumber."

"Dumber than fighting a dragon?"

She heard him stifle a snort, as a few covers were adjusted, "We were not talking about me, were we? Now go to sleep. You've been awake for a minute and a half, and you're already annoying me."


	104. Sanctuary

**I wanted to see if I could manage to use no names or anything.**

Everything him about as worn and tired as the night around him felt. His feet heavier than lead, and his heart even heavier than that. Not even the twinkle of the stars or the idea of sleeping in his own bed for the first time in weeks could manage to raise his spirits even an inch.

The ache that had settled its hold on his soul days ago remained undisturbed as he managed to force his weary arm to push the room open. And any that could possibly help him were hundreds of miles away, or so busy he would never dare distribute them.

With a sigh he carelessly he tossed his cloak and weapons on the couch of the small sitting room and left his boots next to his door. On the way to his dark and cold bedroom, he managed to strip off most of his many layers until he was left only with the undershirt and pants at the bottom.

Rubbing one hand across his tired eyes, the other opened the door.

When his eyes opened again, he was surprised that instead of finding his dark and empty bedroom it glowed with the soft, gentle, and welcoming light of a dozen candles and a merrily crackling fire.

His feet stopped walking without him noticing and the door clicked closed behind him of its own accord, the small towel that had been used to conceal the light from under the doorway stayed where it had been pushed.

She stood looking even softer than all the candlelight in the world could ever muster collectively, and when she smiled at him, she glowed brighter too.

It was the best thing he had seen in near four months, which coincidentally, was also the last time he saw her, "You're not supposed to be here. You're supposed to be on the eastern border."

"I can go," She teased lightly even she slowly came towards him, gesturing lightly with her hand, "If that would make you happy. I can go pack my bags right now, and go all the way back to the eastern border tonight."

He frowned with exaggeration at her, "That isn't what I meant. That could never possibly be, in any world, what I meant."

Taking a step forward he caught her wrist that had been gesturing and pulled her closer until he could kiss the palm of her hand before he let it go, "I could never, not even in anybody's wildest dreams, possibly tell or wish you to be farther away from me than you had to be."

"Never?" She almost hummed, coming to stand so close they were almost touching.

He shooked his head, "Never."

On her tip-toes, she met him halfway for the kiss, arms coming to circle his neck in natural reflex. It was so soft. sweet. and loving that his brain didn't quite know what to do even after she was back on flat feet. His entire body hummed with the familiar warmth his soul got only when it was around hers, the one glowing feeling she must have managed to bottle from the sun itself.

When his brain stalled for a few moments too long, she pulled hesd down to rest on her shoulder just next to her neck. His arms melted around her waist and closed his eyes into the unique and absolute security found only in her arms.

"I missed you so much."

He felt more than heard her laugh, "Good, you should."

Had their height differences not had him bend at such an angle, it seemed incredibly possible he could have fallen asleep there for several days. Perhaps weeks.

His arms loosened only long enough for him to bend slightly for a different hold and then so he could lift her with ease. As she felt her feet begin to leave the ground, her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck likewise tightened.

When they reached the bed she loosened her hold in preparation to get down, so without warning, he tossed her onto the far end of the bed. Laughing at her small gasp of surprise, and then dodging the pillow she threw at his head.

Picking it up he threw it back at her and then slid into the bed, right in time to get another pillow in the face. She laughed with wicked triumph and then laid down in the bed. Leaning over, he blew a raspberry on her cheek, then her jaw, and finally the spot in her neck he had buried his face earlier.

She laughed with sincere openness and then reached a hand up to his face like she was trying to be certain he was really there, "I missed you so much."

With a contented hum, he laid down so that his ear was almost directly above her heart and tangled his legs with hers, "Good, you should."

Gentle hands began undoing all the braids then set themselves to very gently work the knots out of his hair. Then for perhaps nearly an hour, they laid in silence, her hands slowly rubbing up and down his back.

Kissing his head she whispered quietly into the golden light, "You did everything you could."

Her hands kept their soothing rhythmic pattern even when he took a few quicker breathes, "It wasn't enough."

"Perhaps this time," he had yet to figure out how just the sound of her voice when it was meant for only him to hear could turn every bone in his body to honey, "But you are _always_ enough."

He closed his eyes without noticing, as warm hands and reassuring heartbeat scraped every dot of cold for his soul.

 **0.0..0.**

 **Hope you liked it!**


	105. Smart

"He's already reading?" The elf asked nobody in particular, shock evident in his face and voice.

Thranduil looked up from his book before either of his parents could answer, "Yes, he's already reading," Before returning to the pages.

After the laughter died down, the same elf said to Oropher, "That's going to be your problem, Oropher. Thranduil going to be too smart for you."

Oropher sighed heavily in response as the others got into another round of laughter, "Aye, probably. Eru help me."

 **.0**

Oropher threw himself down to sit on the edge of the bed next to his wife, Muinthel, and sighed dramatically. She looked up from her book with laughter already in her eyes, "What did our son do now?"

"It's not what he did now, the dawning realization that I'm out of ideas to keep him from sneaking out of the city." Oropher had no other ideas than the ones he had tired, and none of them had been successful for long. "He's too smart for me, I won't win. And the embarrassment of losing so many times is mounting."

"Where there's a will there's a way, especially when it is Thranduil's will. "She closed her book and sat upright in bed, throwing her legs across Oropher's lap so that she could lay her head sympathetically upon his shoulder, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make a compromise." Oropher admitted bitterly.

 **.0.**

Celeborn's stomach refused to acknowledge its own existence as he came to terms with the words the messenger had brought: Meneingroth had fallen, once and for all.

"Do they know who made it out?"

"Only Elwing and Prince Oropher. Dior and Nimloth are dead. The twins are missing, stolen by the servants of Celegorm."

"And Thranduil?"

The messenger shook his head, "Nothing is yet known about his fate. He's been presumed to have been trapped within the city and killed."

Galadriel took his hand, and the messenger scuttled away. "You don't think he's dead."

"No." Celeborn agreed, "I do not. Nothing could have trapped him in that city, nothing. Thranduil didn't die, he's too smart for that."

"King Oropher is dead?" Elrond asked, somehow shocked that Mandos found the courage and audacity to demand such a thing from such a formidable elf. Even if they stood on the scorched earth of Mordor. "Huh."

Glorfindel continued without being asked, "Thranduil is leading Greenwood's forces now, choose him until they can have an election at home."

"Thranduil?" Elrond found himself asking again, trying to piece the small slips of knowledge he had of the Prince into the picture of some sort of battle master. They didn't fit. He looked back to Glorfindel, "You don't look concerned, are you not concerned?"

Glorfindel shrugged, "Not really. Thranduil is smart. Certainly smart enough to learn from his father's mistakes and to listen to the advice of others. I think the Greenwood choose wisely."

 **.**

"Are you sure allying yourself so closely with an already troubled kingdom is such a wise decision, Radagast?" Saruman asked, his dislike of the idea only slightly more obvious than his dislike for the other wizard.

Who seemed oblivious to both, "This is the right choice, I know it is. I knew even before the trees and the birds and the lizards told me it was. Before the Lady Yavanna admitted her fondness of them. King Thranduil is smart, and he is good. I have no regrets."

 **0.0.0.**

Even if his master did not have a body, the Orc could sense his rippling rage, the voice in its head was cruel with disappointment, _I should not be surprised you failed. Away, before I feed you to something of more worth to me. Like a worm._

The walls of Dol Guldur hummed with thought. Before another orc opened his mouth, the voice cut him off, _I do not want to hear such stupidity again. I do not care what has worked on Elves in the past. This is not any elf, this is King Thranduil."_

This time the walls shook with rage, _King Thranduil it too smart for any plan other than one of my own. A worthy opponent, which is why he needs to go."_

 **.0.0.**

"You know, the odd's aren't as bad as you've led yourself to believe. Legolas could-" But Galion was interrupted.

"Legolas could what? Learn to fly? Somehow managed to show and arrow so far it blinds the Great Eye? Entangle himself so closely with the fate of the One Ring and avoid his black hole of a destiny?" Thranduil snapped, back still turned to the entire room and face staring out the window.

Every bone and muscle in his body was more rigid than stone, and Galion hated to see it. He thought about another approach, when Thranduil said again, "If all you have is comforting lies than I have no want or need to see you right now."

With a very small chuckle Galion stepped up to stand next to his King at the window, "You're too smart for your own good sometimes, you know that?"

Thranduil glanced out the corner of his eyes, "It's been mentioned once or twice."

 **.0..0.0.**

Oropher finally closed the detailed history book that Thingol had found in preparation of his returning from the Halls of Mandos. All about the detailed plans, plots and silent fights that waged for centuries under the branches of Greenwood.

All the effort, magic, and cunning from their King that kept them all alive. All the tricks, outmaneuvering, and just plain old deep preparation Thranduil had planned. All the sleepless nights, heavy burdens, and endless thought and care.

He wiped a few tears before he looked up to Thingol, "Wow."

"We always knew he was smart, I just never suspected he was smarter than the force of darkness that taunted even the Valar."


	106. Magic

"If you have a question, Gimli, then ask it because I'm growing weary of your skittish glances." Legolas yawned form where he laid on his back in the light of their campfire, admiring the stars.

Gimli loudly sighed, but did as he was commanded, "Fine. What does it feel like to have Elven magic?"

Legolas tilted his head to the side in the grass, like he was asking the very stars above him how to explain it. Finally he settled on, "I'm not sure. I don't really know what counts as magic and what counts a physical part of me. I don't know what makes my abilities different from yours."

"Well, firstly, Dwarves don't have Elven magic."

Legolas shrugged, "Technically the elves do not even have 'Elven Magic.' The Silvan have different practices than the Sindar, both of which are near alien to many Noldor."

"You're impossible." Gimli grumbled, poking at the fire, "This is why I didn't ask."

This time Legolas looked at him, and even if Gimli could hardly make out the elf's features he knew that Legolas could clearly make out his. Gknew if he could have sees Legolas' face, if would probably be set for a challenge.

"What's it like to have Dwarven magic?" Legolas asked.

Gimli tried to keep his eyebrows from furrowing but he was rather sure they had betrayed him, "Dwarves don't have magic."

Legolas sat up again, "I disagree, my dear friend. How can you tell what a metal want you to shape it to be? Or what temperature it prefers to be heated to? Hmm?"

Gimli thought about it, "I don't know… I just… I just know what it wants."

Legolas turned his eyes to his next victim, "Frodo, what is it like to have Hobbit magic? To move so silently that sometimes even elves do not notice you? The infectious goodwill?"

Frodo shrugged, "Maybe the rest of you are just no good at sneaking, and it's just practice."

"Perhapes." Legolas agreed, eyes aglow, "Hard to tell what is magic and what is physically apart of you, isn't it?"

"But Legolas," Pippin began from where he sat on a log between his cousins, "How do you know that you're not the only one with magic? How do you know that we all have it?"

Legolas laughed, that open lighted hearted sound that could shred even the thickest tension in the world to ribbons, "Thats easy, Master Pippin. Every creature made in the light has magic. Some sort of specific gift or quality that none other can offer the world, and each specific creature holds something even more specific to themselves. Eru left as all with with gifts before he departed."

"Do you believe that?" Aragorn asked, speaking for the first time in nearly two hours.

Legolas looked up to him and a heavy moment fell between the two old friends that Gimli didn't quite understand before Legolas said, "I do. With my whole heart and everything in it."

The ranger cracked a tired smile, "That's a lot of heart, I'm certain your heart contains at least half of Arda."

Legolas laughed, "Maybe it's my Elven Magic."

"No," Aragorn brushed off, "If anything, it's your specific Legolas Magic."


	107. Acorn

A child who lost everything sat on the doorstep of a house that is no longer there. Surrounded by the skeletal remains of the buildings and trees that had once been the lifeforce of her small remote village.

Warmth still glowed from the forest around her, even if there were no longer any flames. Those had died out hours earlier. Before the night had come to render the waterhole her Uncle had stashed her in even colder than before, but she didn't care to climb out while the heat from the fires still touched her face.

Getting herself out had been difficult, normally the trees would have sent their roots to help her, but there were no trees left alive to help. She had known even then that she was the last of her village to survive, so there was no point in calling for help.

The sun was climbing higher into the sky when her legs managed to make her stand up and start walking. Without looking back, she plunged headlong into the cinders of the forest that had once loved her. Not knowing which way to go, but hoping she had not chosen the wrong one.

 **.**

It was nearing dark, and the shadows began to cast memories of monsters everywhere she looked. But she was alone, left with no help to combat them. So she did what her mother had always told her to do, just keep going forward.

Even when the world seems set against it, go forward.

But as the night grew darker, colder, and more lonely not even the memory of her mother's encouraging advice could keep her going forward. All it did was remind her that she no longer had a mother. That she was alone.

With fear and hopelessness, she curled up against the biggest trump of a charred tree she could find and tried to hide against it. Aware that her skin could attract unwanted eyes, she wiped the soot from her fallen friend over every piece of exposed skin. And then curled up against the cold and waited for morning.

Or something worse.

Whichever came first

 **.0.0**

A rabbit mourning its burrow and its children slowly made its way through the forest under the cover of night. Inside its mouth was an acorn, an acorn she had been told must be delivered to the elves because it contained an important secret.

She had just not expected to pick up the scent so far from where the elves had fled towards.

The rabbit went towards it and found the smallest elf she had ever seen curled up against the trunk of a tree, shivering. Tentatively, she hopped towards it somehow understanding that this one was a child.

She went closer until she could press herself against and gift her warmth. Eventually, the child stopped shivering.

 **.0.**

Step, hop, step, hop, step, hop. Their entire day consisted of stepping and hopping. This time though, the child held the acorn in her hand. This time, she did not wander alone in a directionless path but followed the guidance of the rabbit.

 **.0.0.**

They both heard the sound of a growl at near the same moment. Both creatures froze, well aware of their position in the food chain.

Before the warg go get a good look at them, the Rabbit took off towards them and darted between their legs. Biting an ankle as she fled, triggering its hunting instincts to follow the chase.

The child's flight instincts made her start running in the other direction before she had even processed a single thought of what was going on around her. She ran until her sides burned with the need for air, and the forest slowly began to turn green and lush around her once more. She just kept running.

It was only when she tripped solidly on something and crashed to the ground, slicing her arm open on a particularly sharp rock embedded in the earth.

It was only then, as she crawled back into a sitting position and felt her blood trickling into the dirt that she finally wept for all she had lost. Finally allowed herself to feel the devastation that had taken the place of her heart.

For the loss of her new and only friend.

 **.0.**

On all fours, she crept closer to the sound of voices.

Voices she thought were elvish, that she wanted to believe with all of her heart were elvish. The bushes allowed her to crawl noiselessly at their roots, even as the voices drew silent. She froze when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her.

"Come on out now, you don't have to be scared anymore." Slowly, she peeked around the edge of a nearby tree to see who was trying to speak with her. A blond elf smiled with warmth and sincerity when he saw her, another with dark hair stood silent in the background, "It's alright little one, you're safe now. It looks like you hurt your arm, I can help you with that."

Cautiously, she took small steps forward. Ready to spring back into flight mode the moment the situation required it, but it didn't feel like it would. She wanted to believe that she was safe.

"Hello," the blonde elf said, the smile remaining on his face, "Hello, what's your name, little one?"

"Avaleina." She told him, her voice hard to use from disuse and charred from the smoke and ash.

"That is a very pretty name. My name is Thranduil." The blond elf introduced.

"Hello." She whispered in return.

"May I see your arm now?" She nodded so she would not have to speak again, and he reached out and undid the leaves she had managed to secure over the wound to get a better look at it, "Who taught you to do this?"

"The trees. They watched people over here and told me how to do it over there."

"That is very clever of all of you," He wrapped the leaves around her arm again, "But I think we need to go see one of my friends to take care of that, may I pick you up?"

She nodded.

Gentled and careful arms lifted her from the ground and had she had the energy or spare water she might have wept at the sheer relief such a feeling brought her. She relished in it the entire walk to Thranduil's friend, and just as she was passed from one set of arms to another the remembered the Acron.

"The forest gave it to me," she pressed it into his hand and watched as his eyes immediately filled with tears, and his body nearly sprung with energy.

It was not until days later that it was explained to her that the importance of the acorn to everybody else was that it contained the location of the missing prince of Greenwood. The one they had apparently been looking for since the same day her village had been burnt to ruins.

The importance of the acorn to her specifically, though she did not know it yet, was that it allowed the sprout of her new family to begin growing.


	108. Blink

I close my eyes.

Because I cannot handle seeing all the life leave my father's eyes the same second I feel his soul leave my arms.

I open them.

That was hours ago, I think. There's still so many Orc's, there's so much chaos. The kind of chaos that can only be unleashed by a specific kind of hatred. That's fine. That's all I have left inside of me anyways.

I close my eyes.

Because I can kill in my sleep as well as awake. So help me Eru, I will slit the throat of Mandos himself if he tries to take this victory from me. He can take me afterward, I don't care. But I will live to see the end of this battle.

I open my eyes.

"It's over," somebody says to me. I turn away and back to my task, finding my people. My warriors. My friends. Anybody else who might need me. It wasn't over until all that could be saved were saved, and that that couldn't are dead.

I close my eyes.

I stand on a hill overlooking the devastation that lays before me. My father amongst them, somewhere. I thought I felt hollow the day I looked upon the ruins of Menegoth with so many of my friends still inside, but dully I realized I knew nothing then. At least I could be there for my father like I never could have been with my mother at her end.

I open my eyes.

Next thing I know three years have passed and the siege of the tower is over. I don't care to remember what I have forgotten, except the ones that were lost coming on this death-filled war. A third of my people are left standing, or at the very least, breathing.

I close my eyes.

"I don't care," I say to Galion, who remains silent. "I don't care who invited me to what. I don't care who took charge of what. Nobody cares, because everybody that cares is somewhere dead miles away. All I care about is going home, we need to go home."

I open my eyes.

They told me that everybody survived the journey home from those cursed lands that I left with. I took their word for it. All I remember was seeing Merenth's face when I crossed through the gates of our city. I never want to close my eyes again, because it is the only sight that might have made the last years of my life worth it.

I close my eyes.

 **.0**

I close my eyes.

They told me that after I died my husband managed to find our son and return him to safety. That they were both safe, somehow, together. How I wished I could have been with them, but how glad I was that I had not taken our little Legolas with me to the halls.

I open my eyes.

Somebody had come to tell me information, current information about my Thranduil and Legolas. Lady Yavanna: 'Legolas is good and kind, beloved by his people and his father alike. They find strength in one another, comfort and laughter. They will be alright, you can close your eyes.

I close my eyes.

Years or centuries or days pass by and I catch whispers of my husband and son's voice in the air as they talk to me. Whisper prayers and longing love for me. As they cry out for me in pain or in freat deep in the night. My poor things.

I open my eyes.

They tell me that they have survived some great war, they tell me that my son has gone on some great and dangerous journey that has something to do with the same war that had brought my Thranuild back to me so broken from Mordor. How many years have they seen since I left them, I wonder?

I close my eyes.

I don't know how long I waited in those halls. I just remember asking them not to release me too soon before my husband got to the shores of these lands. Because I didn't know how to start doing this again without him. Be alive. Be a family.

I open my eyes.

The ground is fresh, and my skin is new. The scars on my soul and my skin are healed from the end of my old body. I am ready. I am ready to meet my family, I am ready to join them. Do right by them.

I close my eyes.

Because it took me longer than I thought it would find my son, for he had hidden so perfectly and peacefully amongst those he stayed with. He looked soo much like Thranduil I dared not to open my eyes, for fear my heart might shatter at the sight. He seemed to understand.

I open my eyes.

I thought I had learned the feeling of longing when I had waited for Thranduil to come home from Mordor, but it didn't come close to the feeling of waiting for his ship on the shoreline. Even the sight of the fleet alone was enough to make me cry, but the sight of his face when he jumped off the ship sent me to my knees in the sand.

I closed my eyes.

The next thing I knew, his arms were around me and his lips were pressing kiss after kiss to my face. I had not felt love and security than that last time I had closed my eyes on life beneath the canopy of our trees so long ago. I never wanted to forget the sight that went along with this feeling.

I opened my eyes.

 **0.0.0.**

 **Would love to hear your thoughts.**


	109. Find

"Legolas, is it alright if I ask you a few things?" Frodo asked, sure to say 'few' rather than 'a question' after learning that Leolgas always pointed out that technically counted as the question.

Carefully Legolas held his hand back out to a leaf where the large bug that had been crawling on his hands could call that surface home instead, "Certainly, Frodo."

"Why do you not tell any stories about your home? Any at all?"

Slowly Legolas lifted the branch back into its relaxed position, and instead, immediately began to braid the blades of grass in front of him, "Many elves are used to repetition and watching the world turn in such familiar circles. So quickly do our lives turn in circles at home that even our kin grow weary of the concept."

"You believe that your life at home is too repetitive to be heard?" Frodo asked with open curiosity.

Legolas thought about it while he undid the braid he had just finished, "Not that it should not be heard, just that perhaps it should only be told to certain people during certain times."

Frodo pondered the response, "Whys that, though? If you don't mind the questions."

"Not at all," Legolas answered with a smile and his fingers resuming the braid, "Repeptative news and stories of darkness will eventually weigh on even the lightest and most translucent of hearts if they cannot find the lesson."

"Why not tell a happy story, then?"

"Every happy story is tinged with sadness, Frodo," Legolas answered simply, "If there is no sadness then it is not a true story."

Frodo could think of many memories that weren't tinged with sadness. He must have looked as quizzical as he felt because Legolas said, "What memory had come to your mind?"

"Catching butterflies with my Uncle Bilbo soon after I moved in." Legolas nodded but didn't say anything. So Frodo prompted, "Well?"

"I didn't think you would want me to potentially ruin a memory with my theory."

"I'm good at learning lessons, and I think I would like to try and learn yours."

Legolas smiled again and finished undoing the braid again and turned to face Frodo more fully, "Alright. You had just moved into Bilbo's. Why did you move?"

Frodo swallowed when the answer came to him, "My parents died."

Instead of a smile, this time Legolas gave him one full of deep sympathy, "One of the favorite things about my life is that my father and I are so close. But we are only this way because my mother was killed, and our city burned."

"So what is the lesson then?" Frodo asked.

"The lesson, my dear hobbit friend." Legolas said, taking Frodo's hand gently, "The lesson is that no matter the dark that happens, there will always be a greater light beyond because of that darkness."

Frodo found it equally hard to break or to not break eye contact with his elvish friend, "Do you believe that? Even with your forest so dark even with the sun?"

It was comforting that Legolas didn't hesitate, "Yes. Even now we are given glorious lights because of it. Like our connectin to our forest, to each other, or habit of looking for good and light. And I'm sure that the lights that appear in our lives after this war will shine even brighter."

The elf took his hand back and resumed braiding the grass. Frodo let him in comfortable silence while he thought about home, his life, his memories, his future. And hoped Legolas was doing the same

"Have you found light in all of your darkness, Legolas?"

His fingers didn't still, hardly slowed, "Not all of it. Some of it I haven't even glanced at, nor do I intend to. But if I wanted to, I'm certain I would be able to see the good in it eventually."

There was something about being in the presence of Legolas that made it okay to say, something about his calm and comfortable understanding of everything. His easy and open face, with honest eyes. "There is a feeling starting to grow inside of me that says about to come would snuff out any light that I might find for it."

"I have queen eyes and a stubborn soul, dear Frodo," Legolas said, looking up from the grass to give him a warm and reassuring smile. "If you can't find something to call light, I'm certain that I'll be able to."


	110. Title

Oropher had worn the title of 'The Woodland King' like a cloak,something to be worn and lain overtop of himself. Definitely his, not to own but to command. But not apart of him. It never had been. Losing the title would be more of a mourned loss than a personally injury.

When the title as applied to Oropher it seemed to almost stop time for a moment, suddenly and harshly. It was a weapon almost, one that you could not touch.

That did not mean he was not a good, wise, and fair king to his people. If he weren't, they would elect somebody else to be their king. The woodland realm loved Oropher as their king, and at that point they had not yet come to realize there were other ways for somebody to be a ruler.

Then Thranduil came back from the war without his father, and the Silvan elves could think of no other they might be willing to pass the crown and the throne too.

Thranduil lived, breathed, and embodied the title of 'The Woodland King' in every single way that was possible for him to do so. He wore the title like it was not a title at all, but a name that the world had chosen for him to bear at the beginning of time but had not yet told anyone.

When the title was applied to Thranduil it followed so easily with the rhythm of the forest that one might think that it had been designed around it. Or perhaps grown specifically just to sing it to the sky, the sun, and all things that grew.

With every passing year more flowers stretched into the spring, yawning and blooming with their kings name on the tips of their petals. More easily it was to hear the bubbling of the streams and rivers laughing their praises and love for their king. More branches swayed with the rhythm of their kings breath, and stretched for the sunrise when their king sittered for the day.

Thranduil did not wear the title of 'The Woodland King' or 'King of the Woodland Realm' because he was not a king of the realm, he was the realm. He was the laughter of the squirrels, the wildness of the unknown, the peace found only alone among the depths of trees. He was unpredictable, but hardly every cruel. He was the terror of the night and the comfort of fireflies.

He did not rule the forest, he was an extension of it. Or perhaps the forest was an extension of him. It didn't matter, all that mattered was that the forest that had waited endless years in anticipation of the one they knew would arise to connect them all with seamless grace.

Oropher had worn the title of 'The Woodland King' as if it were a jacket that had been tailored specifically for somebody near his size, but not exactly. Close enough that it fit well enough not to cause problems, but off enough to know that this was not the exact fit to this particular puzzle.

It was just that nobody even knew it was a puzzle until Thranduil had come along and slipped seamlessly into the spot in the picture his father had only just barely managed to cram himself inside the space.

Oropher had worn the title of 'The Wood King' like a title. Thranduil had appeared to embrace and absorb the name that had been created specifically for him.


End file.
